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On April 13, the European Commission announced that the European Parliament and the Council of the EU had reached an agreement on new steel trade measures to address the surge in steel imports and global overcapacity. SA1C steel strip ,These new measures will replace the safeguard regime in place since 2019 and are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026.
The new mechanism will strengthen the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system. Imports within the annual limit of 18.3 million tonnes will remain duty-free, while the tariff on volumes exceeding this limit will be raised from 25% to 50%. Meanwhile, the duty-free quota will be reduced by approximately 47% compared to 2024 levels, a move expected to lead to a significant drop in import volumes.
To prevent circumvention, the EU will introduce "melted and poured" rules of origin to determine the actual place of production for the steel. SA1C steel strip ,Additionally, the new mechanism includes a review clause linked to market conditions, allowing for flexible policy adjustments in the event of an import surge.
Despite weak demand, the EU's steel imports continue to rise. Between October and December 2025, import volumes reached a record high of approximately 9.9 million tonnes—accounting for about one-third of the flat steel market—which has impacted the operations of regional steel mills and employment levels.
On April 14, the European Steel Association (EUROFER) welcomed the new measures, stating that they would "revitalize" the European steel industry; the association noted that these measures could restore the utilization of approximately 15 million tonnes of production capacity and help safeguard around 230,000 direct and indirect jobs.
However, the association also pointed out that these measures represent only a "starting point" and require further supporting policies—such as lowering energy costs, ensuring the effective implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), SA1C steel strip ,and addressing global overcapacity through measures like international coordination.
