– As a country from outside the EU, we will worry more than American duties – admits the British exporter of Stal, who asked to maintain anonymity. – EU funds would affect us directly and to redirect trade – he adds.
“We are deeply concerned about reports that the European Commission is considering a significant limitation of quotas on steel,” says Lisa Coulson, trade director of British Steel. In her opinion, “such funds threaten to exclude British producers from the largest export market at the time when this sector is already struggling with 25 % duties in the United States.”
“We want to protect our production”
About 1.9 million of 4 million tons of steel produced annually by Great Britain goes to the EU. For comparison, the United States imports only 200,000 tons of British steel.
“In the case of Steel, what the EU intends to do is – indicates Carmen Suarez, co -conductor general of Trade Remedies Authority, a British trade supervising body. He adds that this proposal will be “observed with great interest” by the British steel industry and the Business and Trade Department.
EU suggestions may have Catastrophic influence on the British steel industry. In addition to the cells imposed by Trump, British Steel's bankruptcy and bankruptcy of the bankruptcy of this year required the government to take over extraordinary control over his activities.
The EU move also threatens with a delay in recent months of work on repairing relations between London and Brussels. The British official said that the EU has not yet turned to the British government in this matter.
– We intend to accept by mid -October Very strong trade protection measures – said EU EU Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic at the beginning of this month.
EU Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic during a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, September 17, 2025.Dursun AyeDemir / Anadol Agency / Anadol Agency via AFP / AFP
However, before implementation next year, these funds may be relaxed during the procedure for approval by the European Council and Parliament.
“Considering the current situation characterized by new American duties, it seems more and more necessary to adopt a new protective mechanism, which the European steel industry definitely appeals for,” said Sefcovic.
“Together with the United States, we will try to protect our Steel production,” Matthias Jorgensen, head of the European Commission for Trade with the US and Canada, said last week. – I hope that thanks to this we will be able to achieve normalization of steel trade between Europe and America and get rid of American duties – he added, pointing out that “we must take action to solve the problem [nadmiernej zdolności produkcyjnej] China “.
“One of the biggest disasters”
However, according to one of the representatives of the British steel industry cited above, the EU proposal “would mean a reduction by half of our largest market.” He calls her One of the “biggest disasters” that the British steel industry has ever affected. “It can mean serious damage,” he said, adding that companies from the entire sector are “panic”.
The British government has not yet published its strategy for steel for this year, which is to ensure a real future for this sector in Great Britain.
– We support the bright future of the British metallurgy, allocating up to 2.5 billion pounds (PLN 12 billion 241 million) for investments in the reconstruction of the steel industry. We also examine the possibilities of introducing stronger commercial funds to protect British producers from unfair practices – said the spokesman of the UK government, adding that officials are waiting for the details of the EU plans.
