The European Steel Association (EUROFER) has urged the European Union to adopt the European Commission’s proposal for a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) safeguard to protect the EU ferroalloy industry, describing the measure as the sector’s “last chance” for survival. According to EUROFER, the industry has been pushed to the brink as surging imports have eroded market share and profitability. The association warned that, without safeguard action, the ferroalloy sector could disappear within a few years, EU users would face total dependency on foreign suppliers, and such dependency would expose the steel industry to supply continuity risks and non-market price pressure.
EUROFER emphasized that the European Commission’s proposal is not a blanket tariff on all imports. Instead, it introduces a TRQ mechanism that allows “limited but still very significant” duty-free import volumes, ensuring a fair balance between EU steelmakers and global suppliers. The association highlights that:
- the TRQ is country-neutral, not directed at specific exporters,
- the aim is to support EU economic resilience, not restrict trade,
- the measure protects upstream suppliers of critical raw materials essential for steelmaking.
Strategic value for Europe’s metals value chain
As the steel industry is the primary consumer of ferroalloys, EUROFER stressed the strategic importance of maintaining domestic production capacity to preserve the integrity of the European metals value chain.
Losing EU ferroalloy producers would threaten industrial autonomy at a time when Europe seeks to secure raw material inputs for green and digital transition industries.
Call for adoption
EUROFER concluded that adopting the TRQ safeguard is the only realistic measure to prevent a collapse of the EU ferroalloy sector and avoid a situation where European steelmakers are entirely dependent on third-country suppliers.