Brussels (Reuters) – The European Commission proposes to halve the steel quotas imported from abroad and double customs duties from 25% to 50% on surplus deliveries, the European Commissioner responsible for industrial strategy, Stéphane Sétégéné, said Tuesday in order to preserve the viability of the steel industry in the European Union (EU).

The European Commission proposes to limit the annual volume exempted from customs duties to 18.3 tonnes, a drop of 47% compared to the quotas of 2024.

European steel is currently protected by safeguarding measures that cap imports from 26 steel categories, with customs duties of 25%.

The Commission also provides for a doubling of customs duties excluding quota, which would increase to 50%, in accordance with what Canada and the United States offer, although their customs duties apply from the first ton.

Only Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, which belong to the European Economic Area but are not members of the EU, will be exempt from these measures which will have to be approved by the governments of the Union and the European Parliament.

“This is the new safeguarding clause on steel. It is the reindustrialisation of Europe,” commented Stéphane stays on the social network X.

The new system could contribute to the conclusion of an agreement with the United States aimed at replacing American customs duties by 50% by a quota system, as provided for in the agreement between Washington and Brussels at the end of July.

Due to the increase in American imports and rights of customs, EU steel producers only operate 67% of their capacity.

The new measures, in accordance with those reported by Reuters last week, plan to bring this rate to 80%.

For Axel Eggert, director general of the European steel association Eurofer, these measures would reduce imports to a market share of 15% and could save hundreds of thousands of jobs.

The United Kingdom asked it for urgent clarification on the steel import quotas announced Tuesday by the European Commission.

“We will always defend our steel industry, which is essential, which is why we ask the European Commission to urgently clarify the impact of this measure on the United Kingdom,” said Minister of Industry, Chris McDonald.

“It is vital that we protect the trade flows between the United Kingdom and the EU, and we will work with our closest allies to meet global challenges rather than worsen the difficulties of our industries,” he added.

The Commission said that the volumes of contingents would correspond to imports from 2013, when the overcapacity began, she said.

In 2024, Turkey, India, South Korea, Vietnam, China, Taiwan and Ukraine were the main steel exporters to the EU.

(Written by Benoit Van Overstraeten, Philip Blenkinsop and Catarina Demony; Kate Entringer and Coralie Lamarque, edited by Blandine Hénault and Kate Entringer)

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