On Thursday 11 September, around one hundred MEPs sent a letter to the European Commission, calling for a substantial safeguard measure on steel. The signatories, from the EPP, S&D and Renew Europe, are calling for the legislation to come into force ideally in early 2026. The European Commission is expected to present its text by the end of September, according to several sources.
The European Commissioner for Industry, Stéphane Séjourné, has promised to reduce steel imports by 15% compared to current levels. For the signatories of the letter, the tariff quotas should, at best, be set at the import levels of 2012 and 2013, before the overcapacity crisis.
In addition, the import tariff outside the quota that will be set must be high enough to bring about a real drop in imports.
MEPs also insist that the safeguard measure should cover certain steel derivatives.
See the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/idr
On the other hand, the latest economic outlook for the steel market, published on Thursday 11 September by the sector’s representative, Eurofer, indicates a fall in apparent steel consumption of 0.2% in 2025. A rebound will not be possible until 2026, according to the report.
See the figures: https://aeur.eu/f/idx (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)