Reduced quota EU agrees on stricter rules for steel imports
The EU is tightening its import rules to protect the European steel industry. Representatives of the member states and the EU Parliament agreed on Tuesday night that significantly less steel can be imported into the EU duty-free than before.
14.04.2026, 01:11
14.04.2026, 07:54
SDA
In future, the duty-free import volume will be limited to 18.3 million tons per year. This is around 47 percent less than before. According to a statement from the EU states, further imports will then be subject to a punitive tariff of 50 percent, twice as much as before.
Cheap steel exported from China, India and Turkey in particular is causing problems for European manufacturers. The new rules protect the European market from global overproduction, according to the press release. To this end, the agreement also stipulates what proportion of the duty-free steel quota goes to which third country.
At the same time, flexibility is to be maintained. For example, unused import quotas can be carried over from one quarter to the next.
The previous regulation on import laws expires on June 30. In order for the new rules to come into force, the member states and parliamentarians still have to formally approve them. However, this is considered a formality.
