Uğur Dalbeler, vice president of the Turkish Steel Exporters’ Association, has commented on the possibility of the extension of the EU’s safeguard measures for three years, in an interview on Turkish television.
Mr. Dalbeler stated that the EU safeguard measures started to be implemented with the excuse that the products would be diverted to the EU amid the US’s imposition of 25 percent tariffs on imports in 2018.
Regarding the impact of the extension of the safeguard measures on the Turkish steel industry, he said, “The extension decision will negatively affect the Turkish steel industry as Europe is Turkey’s largest export market. Turkey’s steel exports, which rose from 2.5 million mt to 8.5 million mt between 2015 and 2018, decreased to around five million mt due to the sanctions. The country’s exports may decrease further. In addition to the quotas, Europe started to launch antidumping investigations against the imports of various steel products from Turkey. Many antidumping duties began to be imposed unjustly. Even countervailing duty investigations were launched. However, in 1997, we entered into a free trade commitment with Europe under the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) Agreement and the Turkish steel industry has been operating without any subsidies since 1997. Europe’s attitude changed when this agreement, which worked completely in favor of Europe in the first 20 years of the agreement, turned in favor of Turkey. Turkey must also take measures to retaliate against Europe.” Saying that this negative attitude of Europe towards Turkey will continue as long as there is no retaliation, Dalbeler added that otherwise the competitiveness of the Turkish steel industry and the country’s steel exports will be impacted negatively.