EU steel body says import curbs spare sector from cliff edge (updated)

ArcelorMittal SA

14/04/2026 15:13

Adds share reaction in paragraph 3, IG Metall comments in paragraphs 10-11

By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS, April 14 (Reuters) - European steel association Eurofer said on Tuesday EU measures to almost halve the volume of tariff-free steel imports into the bloc will save the industry from a "cliff edge moment" and should allow production to resume at idled plants.

EU institutions reached a preliminary agreement late on Monday to limit tariff-free imports to 18.3 million metric tons, a 47% cut compared to 2024, along with a doubling of the out-of-quota duty.

The measures, which lifted shares in ArcelorMittal MT.LU, Thyssenkrupp TKAG.DE and Salzgitter SZGG.DE, will replace and tighten existing safeguards that under World Trade Organization rules must expire after eight years, on June 30.

Eurofer said steel imports into the EU reached a record 9.9 million tons in the final quarter of 2025, with flat steel products making up a third of the EU market, underscoring the need for tighter restrictions.

The steel association said U.S. President Donald Trump's 50% steel tariffs and the entry into force of the EU carbon border levy in 2026 largely explained the rise.

The measures, which still need final votes of approval, should help bring back about 15 million tons of EU steel-making production and preserve about 30,000 direct jobs in Europe, Eurofer said. EU producers are currently operating at only 65% capacity.

The association said it welcomed the fact that the new measures would be subject to regular reviews, which could lead to other steel products being added or adjustments based on market developments.

"The quotas are going to be adapted to steel demand. And this is something that we really missed from the steel safeguards for eight years," said Sara Franzone, senior manager of international trade at Eurofer.

She added that the European Commission would also assess, based on market conditions, whether unused quotas could be rolled from one quarter to the next, which can result in disruptive end-year import spikes.

German union IG Metall said that while the import curbs were the right response to cheap Asian imports and can help protect jobs, trade policy alone could not guarantee the survival of Europe's steel sector.

Juergen Kerner, IG Metall's deputy leader and vice chairman at Thyssenkrupp, said governments also had to ensure lower energy prices as well as help boost demand through better investment incentives and economic stimulus.

 (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Additional reporting by Christoph Steitz; Editing by Jan Harvey and Louise Heavens)

 ((philip.blenkinsop@thomsonreuters.com; +32 2 585 2869))