Following a protective investigation in December 2024 into six alloying elements, namely silicon, ferromanganese, ferrosilicon, ferrosilicon manganese, ferrosilicon magnesium and calcium silicon, the European Commission announced proposed protective measures aimed at reducing imports of certain ferroalloys based on silicon and manganese (namely ferromanganese, ferrosilicon, ferrosilicon manganese and ferrosilicon magnesium) in the EU by 25% compared to the average inflow in 2022-24 .
.This level is calculated taking into account a stable market share (30-40 percent), which would allow the EU industry to recover from the unfavorable situation, while maintaining adequate sources of supply for consumers at the grassroots.
According to the proposed measure, which will enter into force on November 18, 2025 and last until November 17, 2028, tariff quotas for specific products will be distributed by products and countries. Imports within the quota will be imported duty-free, while volumes exceeding the quota will be subject to duty.
The European Ferroalloy and Silicon Manufacturers Association Euroalliages called on EU member states to support the proposed measures, stating: "Without these guarantees, the European ferroalloy industry will not exist in five years."
In addition, according to a statement released by Assofermet, an association representing Italian steel and scrap distributors, "A reduction in available import volumes, if confirmed at 25%, will inevitably lead to distortions and difficulties in the market, as the production of ferroalloys in the EU is insufficient to meet the needs." domestic demand for many years". Assofermet has asked the European Union to:
Reduce import volumes by 20 percent instead of 25 percent,
Introduce a transfer mechanism,
Apply a two percent liberalization rate instead of one percent.
The association's biggest concern is the introduction of variable duties, which will be calculated only during customs clearance and, therefore, will not be possible to include them in the actual price during negotiations. Finally, the association notes that the protective measures also apply to Norway and Iceland, two countries that, as members of the EEA (European Economic Area), have always been excluded from the scope of measures related to steel imports. In particular, restricting trade with Norway, whose main partner is the EU, would jeopardize political relations and the overall balance. Thus, according to Assofermet, this issue goes beyond guarantees and concerns the possibility of "considering economic prospects that are of great relevance."
