Brussels, 28/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - Eurofer, the European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries that represents more than 95% of crude steel production in the EU, has issued a press release in which it congratulates the European Commission "on its determination to move rapidly to protect the European steel industry from the consequences of the unwarranted protectionism of the United States" (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.7). Eurofer argues that the "EU safeguards are a positive contribution to the stabilisation of the European market in that they will prevent diverted tonnages from exerting greater import pressure. With these measures the European Commission is strongly defending the interests of the European Steel Industry".
Eurofer notes that "in contrast to the US tariffs, which have been imposed on all affected imports into the USA, the measures decided by the European Commission will not impair the traditional flow of supplies to the EU and will not place steel consumers there at a disadvantage. The measures are entirely WTO-consistent, are non-restrictive but nevertheless provide the domestic industry security from a sudden surge of steel imports".