The European Commission has proposed a new EU regulation that would cut tariff-free steel import volumes to 18.3 million tonnes a year and raise out-of-quota duties to 50%.
The proposed quota would be a 47% reduction compared with 2024 limits, the Commission said in a release on Monday.
Under the plan, the higher duties would apply when imports exceed the quota.
The measure would cover steel imports from all countries except those in the European Economic Area (EEA) — EU members plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
It would also introduce a “melt & pour” requirement, meaning importers would need to show where the steel was melted and where it was poured into its final form, to improve traceability in the EU steel supply chain.
Global overcapacity and the timetable
Global steel overcapacity is projected to reach 721 million tonnes by 2027, which the organisation described as about five times the EU’s yearly consumption.
Negotiations between the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council are set to focus on finalising the text so the measure can take effect by 1 July, when the EU’s current steel safeguard is due to expire.
The proposal also refers to the EU’s decarbonisation goals and says 2.5 million jobs are linked to steel production.
