The European Parliament has approved new safeguard measures aimed at protecting the EU steel industry from the impact of global steel overcapacity after the current safeguard regime expires on June 30, 2026.
Under the new regulation, annual tariff-free steel import quotas will be reduced to 18.3 mln tons, representing a 47pct reduction compared with 2024 quota levels. In addition, imports exceeding the quota or products not covered by quotas will be subject to a 50pct customs duty, compared with the current 25pct tariff.
The regulation also introduces a “melt and pour” rule, under which the origin of steel will be determined based on the country where the steel is first melted and cast. The measure is aimed at improving traceability and limiting circumvention through minimal processing in third countries.
to the European Parliament, Ukraine’s status as an EU candidate country and its security situation will be considered in the allocation of country-specific quotas.
The legislation was approved by 606 votes in favor, 16 against, and 39 abstentions. The regulation still requires formal approval by the European Council and is scheduled to enter into force on July 1, 2026.
The EU introduced steel safeguard measures in 2018 under WTO safeguard rules amid rising import pressure linked to global steel overcapacity. According to the European Parliament, the EU steel sector has lost around 100,000 jobs since 2008 and remains strategically important for the region’s industrial and defense sectors.
