EU steel blockade. Customs duties increase to 50%, quotas halve

The European Union intends to tighten restrictions on the import of steel from outside the Union, including doubling customs duties and reducing by almost half the duty-free quotas of imported steel – according to the agreement concluded between the European Parliament and the member states on the night from Monday to Tuesday.

EU negotiators agreed to limit duty-free steel imports to 18.3 million tons per year; that's 47 percent less compared to 2024 Everything exceeding this threshold will be subject to 50% tariffs., i.e. twice as high as before, because the current rate is 25%.

EU market protection without reduced tariffs

As informed by the Council of the EU, this will allow for more effective protection of the EU market against the inflow of cheap steel from outside the EU, especially from countries such as China, Russia, India and Türkiye. It was decided that the regulations would also cover Ukraine, although Kyiv sought an exemption.

To increase transparency in the supply chain, the new regulation introduces a 'smelt and cast' rule, which defines the country where the steel was originally melted and cast – that is, the country where the steel was first produced in liquid form in a furnace and then cast into its first solid shape. The country of smelting and casting will be treated as the country of origin of the steel and among others on this basis, it will be allocated quotas for steel imports. This solution will, among other things, eliminate: circumvention of sanctions by countries such as Russia, which sent its steel to other countries outside the Community, where it was processed and sent to the EU market. The negotiators also adopted a declaration in which they committed to reducing economic dependence on Russia, including in the field of steel imports and the gradual withdrawal of Russian steel products.

The EU defends its own steel industry

EC spokesman Olof Gill admitted on Tuesday in Brussels that the European Commission is satisfied with the “good result of the talks on new measures to protect the EU steel sector.” He announced that negotiations will soon be held with all EU partners under free trade agreements to establish specific quotas for them.

These talks were already taking place in the period preceding the adoption of the agreement, because we want to be as transparent as possible with our partners, said the spokesman, adding that the EU wants to make progress on this matter as quickly as possible.

Now the agreement must be officially approved by the member states and the European Parliament. Once formally adopted by both institutions, it will enter into force on July 1, 2026.

From Brussels Jowita Kiwnik Pargana (PAP)

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