Brussels, 27/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - On the eve of the end of the provisional measures taken in March, the European Commission has finalised the "definitive" safeguard device that will succeed them on Saturday and disappear "when the United States has eliminated" its prohibitive surtax on foreign steel, the Commission's spokesperson announced on Friday (see yesterday's EUROPE page 13). "We confirmed the safeguard clause after a six month enquiry but reducing the cover" from 15 to 7 products (these 7 products represent 60% of the total volume of steel imports in Europe) "to respect the very strict requirements of the World trade Organisation", before which the United States has formally disputed the European preventive measures. Although all products covered by the initial enquiry were not chosen (11 of the 21 are excluded and 3 "passed into the grey area"), "it is totally normal that the initial and final quantities differ on the way. It is a legal practice", the Commission stresses.