On July 10, 2024, President Biden signed a Proclamation which imposes a “melted and poured” requirement on imports of steel products from Mexico, including carbon, alloy, and stainless steel wire and so-called “derivative” products such as nails, pins, and staples.  As a result, steel imports from Mexico must be melted and poured in Mexico, Canada, or the United States in order to qualify for the exemption from Section 232 tariffs.  Steel imports from Mexico which are melted and poured in a country other than Mexico, Canada, or the United States will be subject to the Section 232 tariff of 25%.  The President’s action marks the culmination of a full-court press by the U.S. steel industry – including the AWPA, the American Iron & Steel Institute, and the Steel Manufacturers Association – to reign in the surge of steel imports from Mexico.  The primary target of the “melt and pour” provision is China, although it applies to all countries outside North America. There have been press reports that Brazil has been exempted from the new rules, but there has not yet been an official announcement from the U.S. Government regarding an exemption for Brazil.  In fact, some major U.S. steel mills have already expressed their opposition to any expansion of the “melt and pour” provision beyond North America.