The European Commission has proposed imposing a 50pct tariff on steel imports exceeding a sharply reduced annual quota, aiming to revive the bloc’s struggling metals sector and prevent the US from reinstating similar duties on EU exports.
The new measure would replace the EU’s current safeguard mechanism, which applies a 25pct duty once import quotas are exceeded and is due to expire in June 2026. Under the proposal, the new regime would become permanent and bring the EU’s tariff rate in line with that of the United States to counter global steel overcapacity, particularly from China.
The revised quota would be set at about 18.3 mln tons annually, based on steel imports’ 13pct market share in 2013 relative to EU steel consumption in 2024, less than half the current 40 mln ton limit.
The European Steel Association (Eurofer) has welcomed stricter safeguards, urging the EU to adopt a long-term trade framework beyond 2026 to shield the market from the spillover effects of global oversupply.
