The European Union is preparing to halve steel import quotas and raise tariffs on volumes above quota levels from 25% to 50%, according to a report from Reuters. The measures are expected to be unveiled on October 7, 2025.
The policy aims to protect the EU steel industry from subsidized imports and global overcapacity, particularly from China, and would align the EU more closely with US and Canadian trade policies.
Currently, EU steel imports are managed under safeguard quotas, which are due to expire in mid-2026 under WTO rules. Producers argue that quotas remain 26% higher than their 2019 levels, even as demand falls, leaving the industry exposed.
According to the OECD, global excess capacity could reach 721 million mt by 2027, largely due to Chinese state-backed expansion.
The package also includes talks of a broader EU-US “Metals Alliance”, with Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič meeting US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to coordinate defenses against oversupply.
Additional measures under discussion include:
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Aluminum safeguards to counter market distortions.
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Export duties on scrap metal to secure raw material for European steelmakers.
Henrik Adam, president of EUROFER, said Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné had assured industry leaders and unions that their concerns were being taken into account, though details remain under wraps until the October announcement.
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