Revised EU steel import safeguard measures confirmed

Revisions to the European Commission’s steel import safeguard measures published in their official form today (March 25) – a fortnight after draft plans were submitted to the WTO. 

Documentation on the Commission's website show that there are no changes to the previously proposed revisions, which are due to be implemented from April 1. They include new volume caps for individual nations using the “other countries” quotas for various steel products.  

The redistribution of Russia and Belarus quotas will be wholly or partially reversed under the revisions. This action will reduce the duty-free hot rolled coil quota by around 12%, to 1.9 million tonnes per quarter.  

The new measures will also end the carry-over of unused volumes from one quota quarter to the next in the categories where the Commission identified significant, or very significant, import pressure.  

Under further changes applicable from July 1, the Commission will reduce the annual liberalisation of the overall tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) from 1%, to 0.1%.  

At that time, it will also remove access to residual quota volumes in the final quarter of the measures' year (April-June) for hot rolled, cold rolled and 4A hot dipped galvanised coil from exporting nations with a country-specific quota. Importers will retain access to 30% of the 4B hot dipped galvanised coil residual volumes, however. 

As previously reported by MEPS, changes to the EU import safeguard measures’ “other countries” quarterly quotas will include a reduction in the individual countries’ cap on the use of the hot rolled coil quota from 15% to 13%. The other new quota caps for quarter two, 2025, are detailed below:  

• 13% - Non Alloy and Other Alloy Hot Rolled Sheets and Strips - 1A (111,380 tonnes); Non Alloy and Other Alloy Cold Rolled Sheets (43,468 tonnes) 
• 15% - wire rod (15,075 tonnes); angles, shapes and sections (10,122 tonnes) 
• 20% - 4B galvanised coil (20,956 tonnes); quarto plate (110,038 tonnes); rebar (27,568 tonnes); tin mill products (7,421 tonnes)  
• 25% - 4A hot dipped galvanised coil (118,762 tonnes); organic coated sheets (10,715 tonnes); stainless bars and sections (1,287 tonnes) 
• 30% - electrical sheets (2,588 tonnes); gas pipes (3,332 tonnes); hollow sections (5,560 tonnes); large welded tubes (1,948 tonnes); other welded tubes (6,015 tonnes) 

Indonesia is not included in the revised measures for hot rolled coil, despite the expectation of many MEPS respondents. Imports from the country remain tariff-free.  

MEPS reported in its European Steel Review that many market participants had expected a further tightening of EU safeguard measures. However, trade defence measures proposed in the European Commission’s Steel and Metals Action Plan may address any perceived shortfall in the revisions.  

The Action Plan includes a proposal to explore new "melt and pour" restrictions, to be implemented immediately, that would aim to address the possible circumvention of duties. It also outlines a new long-term trade defence instrument – based on tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) – to follow the steel safeguard measures when they expire in June 2026.