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UK Steel, the trade association for the UK steel industry, has stated that despite plans to reduce steel import quotas, the domestic industry remains heavily reliant on imports, with approximately one-third of public steel procurement currently sourced from overseas.
Gareth Stace, CEO of UK Steel, noted that the UK steel industry is more dependent on imports compared to the EU. HCT980XG+Z Hot dip galvanized steel , Domestic production currently meets only about 30% of the UK's steel demand—far below the levels seen in the US (around 80%) and the EU (around 75%)—making it insufficient to attract large-scale industrial investment.
Stace also expressed concern regarding potential further cuts to import quotas by the European Union. Given that approximately 80% of the UK's steel exports go to the EU market, any tightening of restrictions could put jobs in the UK steel industry at risk.
He stated that the UK should continue to allow significant volumes of EU steel into its domestic market, while the EU should likewise open its market to UK steel exports. HCT980XG+Z Hot dip galvanized steel , He emphasized the desire to strengthen cooperation with economies that oppose the influx of dumped and subsidized steel, noting that low-price dumping undermines domestic industries and stifles investment.
Stace anticipates that the market share of domestic UK steelmakers will rise rapidly once the UK's new import quota policy takes effect on July 1. The UK government currently aims for domestic steel mills to supply 50% of the country's steel consumption.
At the same time, he points out that UK steel is gradually losing competitiveness in the construction steel market (specifically for sections and beams) due to what he describes as "short-sighted" environmental standards. Increasingly, architectural designers are directly equating "green steel" with electric arc furnace (EAF) production, and the Welsh government has already planned to use only EAF-produced steel in all government projects.
Stace warned that if the UK market continues to source imported electric arc furnace (EAF) steel rather than supporting British Steel’s own transition to EAF technology, the company will struggle to modernize.
He further noted that unless building regulations are adjusted promptly, British Steel will continue to lose market share, while imported steel will capture an even larger portion of the UK market. HCT980XG+Z Hot dip galvanized steel , Moreover, European steelmakers might export "green steel" to the UK while retaining blast-furnace products for domestic use; this would not genuinely reduce global carbon emissions but would instead harm the UK's domestic industry.
The UK government had previously announced a new steel safeguard strategy; effective July 1 of this year, steel import quotas will be cut by 60% from current levels, and the tariff on imports exceeding the quota will rise from 25% to 50%.
