German association: Revised US aluminium tariffs harm trade

Published 13th April, 2026 by Greg Morris

Revised aluminium tariffs are creating an extra burden on trade, says the German VDMA's Executive Director Thilo Brodtmann.

The German mechanical and plant engineering association, the VDMA, says revised tariffs have placed a greater burden on aluminium technology suppliers.

The association's Executive Director, Thilo Brodtmann, said the revised tariffs for affected companies had risen from 21% to 26% for many machinery and equipment manufacturers since April 6.

A recent survey of its members by the organisation revealed half of the respondents are more heavily affected by the new rules, only about one fifth see benefits, while one third report no change.

He said: “The US Administration announced that the revised regulation would provide relief for Europe.

For the European machinery sector, however, the expected relief has not materialized. We therefore call on the European Union to secure a binding tariff cap of 15% for the machinery industry in its negotiations with the United States.”