Ugur Dalbeler: New EU steel quota will challenge Turkish exports
The European Commission's decision to limit duty-free steel imports to 18.3 million tons per year and raise non-quota tariffs to 50% has sparked new debate in the global steel market, while the Turkish steel industry has also conducted a comprehensive assessment of the industry's development
Ugur Dalbeler, speaking on CNBC-e, said that this decision will have extremely serious consequences for Turkish steel exports, and stressed that its impact "will be very negative." Dahlbeler recalled that the European Union's measures aimed at limiting steel imports are not new and that the quota system has already been in effect since 2019. However, he stated that under the new regulations, the quota structure had become even stricter and that the total volume of imports had been significantly reduced. He stressed that the reduction of the total quota from almost 36 million tons in previous periods to 18.3 million tons represents a major shift in the balance of global trade. Drawing attention to Turkey's position in the European market, Dahlbeler said that historically, the EU accounted for between 30% and 40% of Turkish steel exports. He noted that Europe is not only the most important partner for the steel industry, but also for Turkey's entire foreign trade, adding that the decisions taken have a direct and strong impact. Speaking about the export figures in previous years, Dalbeler recalled that Turkey gained a significant advantage in 2022 after the introduction of restrictions on Russian steel after the Russian-Ukrainian war and increased its exports to more than 7 million tons. However, he stated that Turkey's figures for 2025 were excluded from the calculation of the new quota, while 2022, 2023 and 2024 were taken as the basis. In this regard, Dalbeler said that the proposed quota level for Turkey at about 2.1 million tons is being discussed, stressing that this figure remains significantly lower than Turkey's historical export volume. He also recalled that Turkey has a special position in the EU both within the framework of the Customs Union and in the framework of relations with the European Community of Coal and Steel Producers. Despite this, he said that the quota created a more unfavorable picture for Turkey compared to other countries. Dahlbeler also noted that the allocation of quotas under the new EU system has not yet been completed. He stated that the allocation would be based on the historical performance of the countries and that a certain amount of "free quotas" would also be set. However, he stressed that the proposals currently submitted by Turkiye remain well below expectations and have caused serious disappointment in the sector. Providing information about the negotiation process, Dahlbeler said that discussions with the European Commission are ongoing.,