European Union agrees to double steel import tariffs to 50% to curb cheap inflows from China

Brussels: European Union lawmakers and countries agreed to double tariffs on foreign steel on Monday, to shield the bloc's struggling industry from a flood of cheap Chinese exports.

EU governments and parliament representatives reached a late evening deal to hike levies on steel imports to 50 percent and slash the volume allowed in before tariffs apply by 47 percent.

"The shape and global standing of Europe's steel sector are fundamental to our strategic autonomy and industrial strength. We therefore cannot afford to turn a blind eye to global overcapacity reaching critical levels," commented the EU's trade chief, Maros Sefcovic.


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"Today's outcome helps bring much-needed stability for our producers to thrive in Europe".

Under the deal, which follows a proposal put forward by the European Commission last year, import tariff-free quotas will be reduced to 18.3 million tons a year -- the total volume of steel the EU imported in 2013.

That year was chosen because the EU considers the market became unbalanced from that point on because of excess production -- mainly due to China, which massively subsidises local steelmakers and now produces more than half the world's steel.

European steel industry group Eurofer welcomed the accord saying it will help preserve around 230,000 jobs in Europe.

"We're extremely happy," Eurofer's Karl Tachelet told AFP describing the reform as "unprecedented".

While on its own not enough to turn things around for an embattled sector also contending with high energy costs, the measures were "a condition to revitalise the industry return to viability", he said.

European steel production fell to about 126 million tons, a historic low, last year, well behind the 960 million tons produced in China.

At the same time imports climbed to record levels, accounting for almost a third of European steel consumption in the third quarter of 2025, according to industry data.

European manufacturers have also been impacted by tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump -- set at 50 percent for steel and aluminum imports.

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The new measures will apply to imported products from all countries, except for European Economic Area members Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

They will replace the current safeguard scheme, which runs out at the end of June, that imposes 25-percent duties beyond set import quotas.

The deal is provisional and needs to be officially endorsed by the European Council representing member states and the parliament before it is formally adopted.