The European Steel Association (EUROFER) and the European trade union federation IndustriAll Europe have warned that waiting until June 2026 to implement new steel trade measures risks leaving the sector exposed during a period of unprecedented import pressure.
Industry under extreme pressure
According to the organizations, the sector is “under water” with no improvement in the economic outlook, with steel demand in Europe remaining deeply depressed with no significant recovery expected. Capacity restructuring and plant closures continue, while global competitors expand production and global overcapacity accelerates. In addition, in EU, unfair, low-priced imports now hold a 27 percent market share, double their 2012 level.
Stockpiling threatens the measure before it even starts
Massive stockpiling is already taking place, driven by anticipation of the future trade measure. EUROFER and IndustriAll warned that, if the new rules only take effect in June 2026, importers will continue flooding the market throughout next year, weakening the impact of the measure before it is even implemented. They argue that:
- the measure must start no later than April 1, 2026,
- amendments delaying adoption in Parliament or Council would worsen the crisis,
- 2026 risks becoming “another lost year” for EU steelmakers if action is slow.
EUROFER and IndustriAll Europe urged EU institutions to act decisively adopting the -European Commission’s proposal as a priority, implementing the trade measure by April 2026, and pairing it with a credible industrial strategy to safeguard Europe’s metals value chain. The organizations concluded that the steel industry - and the hundreds of thousands of workers it employs - cannot wait until June for relief.
