Metal and technical industry EU Commission promises support for steel industry
In light of the trade dispute, the EU Commission has promised support for the steel and aluminum industry in Europe. On Wednesday, it promised to tighten protective measures against cheap steel imports as of April 1 and to extend them beyond next year.
19.03.2025, 14:43
SDA
Brussels fears the detour effects of the US tariffs, which could result in more steel being imported into the EU from China, among other things. "More and more third countries are taking measures to limit imports into their markets", the Commission's proposals state.
"As a result, the EU market is becoming the largest reservoir for global overcapacity." Existing protection mechanisms should therefore be adapted to the "latest market developments". It is also necessary to establish a "long-term measure" beyond June 30, 2026.
This is when the current mechanism under WTO rules expires. To date, an upper limit for duty-free steel imports applies, which the EU introduced during Donald Trump's first term in office in 2018. If the specified quantity is exceeded, tariffs of 25 percent apply. However, the upper limit has been raised several times in recent years, resulting in lower tariffs.
The EU Commission also expects the trade dispute instigated by Trump to have a negative impact on the aluminum industry. "The recently announced US tariffs on aluminum are likely to further aggravate the situation," according to the proposals. According to the Commission, it is therefore preparing an investigation into further protective measures for the aluminum industry and has begun to collect the necessary evidence.
US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs of 25 percent on steel and aluminum imports to the US on March 12. The EU responded immediately with a series of its own surcharges on imports from the USA. For example, additional tariffs are to be imposed on jeans, whiskey and motorcycles from April 1.
