WTO rules that US breached trade rules

The US government has formally appealed against a World Trade Organisation ruling that US tariffs on some steel imports breach international trade rules, a WTO spokesman said.

"The US has filed its appeal today," the spokesman said.

The WTO issued the decision by three independent experts on July 11 following a joint complaint from the EU, Japan and six other countries about the safeguard measures introduced by the US government in March 2002.