Overview
- Officials say an announcement is expected in the coming weeks, with formal negotiations slated to begin in April after a March 19 industry consultation closes.
- The emerging framework under discussion would set minimum price levels and coordinate tariffs to counter market distortions attributed to Chinese exporters.
- Policymakers are also weighing regulatory cooperation, investment screening, research collaboration and strategic stockpiling of key materials.
- DARPA is reportedly providing technical input on pricing models to inform the design of a potential price‑floor mechanism.
- People familiar with planning say the rollout could coincide with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to Washington, while Mexico has a parallel preliminary action plan with the U.S.