The European Union has introduced measures to protect its aluminum industry from tariffs imposed by the United States under the Trump administration, according to the Financial Times. These tariffs have disrupted the European market, leading to the closure of recycling plant capacities as U.S. producers can pay higher prices for European scrap metal. In response to the tariffs, Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest aluminum producers, has adopted an unusual strategy by purchasing aluminum from the U.S. market to resell to American customers instead of shipping metal from its Canadian plants. This shift is driven by the higher U.S. aluminum prices, which are approximately 50% above those in Europe and Japan, placing U.S. manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage. The EU's actions aim to shield its aluminum sector from these trade disruptions and maintain industrial stability within the bloc.