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EU Trade · Import Quotas · Protectionism · Steel Tariffs
The European Union has preliminarily agreed to significantly restrict foreign steel imports, nearly halving tariff-free volumes to 18.3 million metric tonnes annually and imposing 50% tariffs on excess shipments, aiming to protect its domestic steel industry from global overproduction and U.S. trade barriers.
This strategic move intends to raise EU steel producers' capacity utilization from the current 65% to a target of 80%, addressing a sustained rise in low-cost imports and the reintroduction of 50% U.S. tariffs by President Donald Trump. The new framework, agreed by the European Parliament and the Council, reduces tariff-free imports by 47% compared to 2024 levels and doubles out-of-quota duties from 25% to 50%.
Major exporters including Turkey, South Korea, Indonesia, China, India, Ukraine, and Taiwan will face reduced market access. These measures replace existing "safeguard" protections, which expire on June 30 under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.
The European Commission, which proposed the system, stated the sector has lost 100,000 jobs since the 2008 financial crisis. New rules will also focus on the "melted and poured" origin to prevent circumvention and include a commitment to phase out Russian steel imports, totaling 3.7 million tonnes last year, by September 2028.
Formal approval from both EU bodies is required in the coming weeks.
EU Slashes Steel Imports, Doubles Tariffs to 50%(current)
