The European Commission announced on 14 August that it had submitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) a proposal to adjust safeguard measures on imports into the European Union of steel products (see EUROPE 12270/19).
The survey, carried out since mid-May, showed that the measures “have overall worked well during the first year of implementation”, the Commission says. However, the adjustments notified to the WTO are intended to make them “more effective in full compliance with WTO rules”, it continues.
These adjustments could be made by: – adjusting the functioning of the quota for some products, including hot-rolled flat steel and steel intended for the automotive sector; – updating the list of exclusions for developing countries; – taking into account more recent imports; – slowing down liberalisation of imports; – by reducing the pace of progressive increase of the import quotas from 5% to 3%.
The adjustments will be discussed by all WTO Members concerned. Following these consultations, they will be submitted to EU Member States for approval so that they can enter into force as from October 2019.
Since 2019 February, the EU has applied definitive safeguard measures on steel to prevent any risk of diversion of steel exports to the European market resulting from US sanctions (see EUROPE 12185/4). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)