Overview

• The European Commission unveiled a plan in Strasbourg to cut annual duty‑free steel quotas by half and to levy a 50% tariff on volumes above the cap.
• The over‑quota duty would double from 25% with the aim of discouraging extra imports and supporting EU production.
• Brussels frames the move as a response to Chinese state‑backed overcapacity, with China producing over half of global steel last year.
• Germany’s BDI voiced cautious support, while the steel lobby sought rapid, lasting power‑price relief and preferential treatment in public procurement.
• Machinery makers at VDMA warned of higher input costs and competitiveness risks and urged broader industrial energy relief, as the proposal heads to EU lawmakers and governments and is intended to replace rules expiring July 1, 2026.