16/01/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 16 January, Member States supported the Commission’s plan to impose definitive safeguards on its steel imports. On 4 January, the EU notified the WTO of its intention to introduce these definitive safeguards to prevent the 25% surcharge imposed by Washington from disrupting its market (see EUROPE 12165). The safeguard measures were designed as a tariff quota: a ceiling (average of imports 2015-2017) above which an additional duty of 25% will be applied. Any country whose imports exceed 5% of the total will have its own quota, while all others will be subject to the “first come, first served” principle. However, some countries have criticised the approach to implementing these safeguards, which “does not take into account the major distinctions between the different segments of the steel market”, according to the Dutch Ministry of Commerce in a letter published on 14 January. (HD)