The German Steel Federation (WV Stahl) has stated that it has welcomed the agreement between EU institutions on a new, significantly strengthened trade defense instrument for steel imports, describing it as a key step to protect the German and European steel industry.
The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on new measures aimed at protecting the EU steel industry from global overcapacity and rising import pressure, as SteelOrbis previously reported.
New system to strengthen protection against import pressure
According to the association, the new instrument will introduce country- and product-specific tariff-rate quotas with clearly defined ceilings. Once these limits are exceeded, a 50 percent import tariff will apply.
Kerstin Maria Rippel, managing director of the WV Stahl, stated that the agreement sends a strong signal to protect the steel sector from the effects of global overcapacity while maintaining market openness.
The new framework is expected to address key weaknesses of the previous system by increasing flexibility and responsiveness to market developments. It will also include new rules on determining the origin of goods to prevent circumvention practices, such as rerouting steel through third countries to bypass trade measures.
Industry calls for further measures
While welcoming the agreement, the WV Stahl stressed that additional steps are needed to address the ongoing crisis in the sector.
These include closing gaps in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, creating lead markets for low-emission steel produced in the EU, and ensuring competitive energy prices for energy-intensive industries.