Ukraine should not be subject to future tariff quotas on steel while it is at war, and Russia and Belarus should be subject to an import ban on these products, according to MEP Karin Karlsbro (Renew Europe, Swedish). She is the rapporteur on the draft regulation establishing a new permanent safeguard measure on steel (see EUROPE 13725/1) and presented her draft report to her colleagues on the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) on Monday 1 December.
The Commission’s proposal seemed to convince Mrs Karlsbro, who has suggested only a few slight changes. She does not call into question the 50% tariff outside the quotas granted to third countries. The choice of 2013 as the reference year for steel import volumes represents a “balanced approach”, in her view.
She also welcomed the ‘melt and pour’ rule to ensure the traceability of steel.
The few amendments proposed by the rapporteur are aimed at ensuring that the EU maintains a spirit of open trade, and commits itself to remaining within the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Ms Karlsbro is calling, for example, for countries to be able to reclaim unused quarterly quotas the following quarter. “This would provide the necessary operational flexibility while maintaining the overall effectiveness of the measure”, she explains.
War in Ukraine. Ms Karlsbro, who previously reported on the regulation exempting Kyiv from the current steel safeguard, is keen to defend Ukraine and its exports. This is why she is proposing that the country should be exempt from the proposed tariff quotas for as long as it “faces an immediate and exceptional security situation”.
The European Commission has provided for special treatment for Ukraine, without giving details.
MEP Thierry Mariani (PfE, French) opposed any exemption during the exchange. His Belgian colleague Saskia Bricmont (Greens/EFA) took the opposite view, arguing that support should be given to this country at war.
To take account of the Russian invasion, Ms Karlsbro is calling for Russian and Belarusian steel to be banned from the European market altogether.
Revision of the scope. While the scope of the measure has already been questioned in recent weeks by various stakeholders, the rapporteur is proposing to reassess the scope of the products concerned every year, rather than every two years.
Similarly, the added value of the regulation in countering global overcapacity without completely closing the European market will have to be assessed within two years of its entry into force, and not just in 2031, as the Commission has proposed.
Lastly, most of the political groups, like the rapporteur, support rapid adoption of the text.
Link to the draft report: https://aeur.eu/f/jsf (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)