EU ministers have approved new rules to limit steel imports from July 2026, replacing the bloc’s current steel safeguard measure when it expires at the end of June that year.
The regulation sets up a revised tariff-rate quota system — a mechanism that allows a certain volume of imports at a lower tariff, with higher duties applied once the quota is exceeded — under which import quotas will be reduced and duties increased on steel brought in above those limits, the Council of the EU announced in a statement on Monday.
Unused quotas will be allowed to carry over from one quarter to the next only within the same year.
The rules also include provisions linked to a “melt and pour” requirement, which identifies the country where the steel was first melted and poured into its initial solid form.
Review powers and Russian imports
A reinforced review mechanism will allow the European Commission to assess the scope and effectiveness of the measure and propose adjustments in response to market developments and global overcapacity conditions, the Council said.
In a joint declaration accompanying the regulation, the Council, European Parliament and Commission said they would continue efforts to reduce economic dependencies on Russia, including diversifying steel imports with a gradual phase-out of Russian steel products.
The regulation will be published in the EU’s Official Journal and will apply from 1 July 2026.
The EU steelmaking industry is the world’s third largest producer and directly employs around 300,000 people, according to background information published by the Council.
Global steel overcapacity is projected to reach 721 million tonnes by 2027 — more than five times the EU’s annual consumption.
