EU doubles steel tariffs
The European Union agreed to double import tariffs on foreign steel to 50% and cut duty‑free quotas as a measure to curb cheap inflows, with Chinese shipments a particular focus of the move. The decision was presented by Brussels as a tool for protecting industrial capacity and strategic autonomy. (economictimes.indiatimes.com)
The European Union has agreed to raise its out-of-quota steel duty to 50% and sharply shrink tariff-free import volumes from July 1, 2026. (consilium.europa.eu) Negotiators from the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament struck the provisional deal on April 13. The new system cuts overall steel import quotas by about 47% from the 2024 safeguard level of 18.3 million tonnes a year. (consilium.europa.eu) The change replaces the current safeguard setup, which charges 25% only after import quotas are filled and expires on June 30, 2026. Brussels said the new regime will apply to all origins except European Economic Area countries. (ec.europa.eu) A tariff quota works like a gate: steel can enter up to a set volume at zero duty, and shipments above that ceiling pay the penalty rate. The European Commission says the tougher gate is meant to limit the effect of global steel overcapacity on the European Union market. (ec.europa.eu) The immediate target is not named as a country in the law, but the politics are clear. Reuters and Agence France-Presse both reported that cheap Chinese steel was a central concern as European mills complained about import pressure and weak demand. (globalbankingandfinance.com) (france24.com) The steel move sits inside a broader industrial policy shift in Brussels. The Commission’s Steel and Metals Action Plan, published on March 19, 2025, framed trade defense as part of keeping production capacity, jobs and supply chains inside Europe. (ec.europa.eu) The Commission also added a “melt and pour” rule to the new system. That traceability requirement is meant to identify where steel was actually made, rather than where it was last processed or shipped from. (ec.europa.eu) Europe’s steel lobby, Eurofer, said the deal could help protect more than 230,000 jobs after what it called record import pressure. Importers and trading partners have warned that tighter quotas can hit regular suppliers too, including exporters such as the United Kingdom that sell large volumes into the European Union market. (eurofer.eu) (europesays.com) The April 13 deal is still provisional and needs formal approval from member states and the European Parliament before adoption. If that happens on schedule, Europe’s steel border will become much harder to cross on July 1. (consilium.europa.eu)
