Overview

• Brussels proposes cutting duty‑free steel import quotas by 47% to 18.3 million tonnes.
• Imports above those quotas would face a 50% tariff, matching U.S. rates, with talks under way for a U.S. exemption on European steel.
• Importers of processed steel would need to declare where the base metal was melted and cast to deter circumvention.
• The plan would replace the 2019 safeguard that applies a 25% tariff after quotas and is due to expire in mid‑2026, with implementation targeted before that date.
• Industry leaders welcomed the move, citing pressure from cheap Chinese exports, global overcapacity, high energy costs, and weak EU demand.