A number of amendments are recommended in the draft report on the European Commission's proposed replacement of protective measures for steel imports.
A report published by the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA) says the Commission should review its plan to end the rollover of unused tariff quotas at the end of each quarter. This also suggests that the commission's proposed "melt and pour" requirements for steel imports should accept a wider range of documentation as proof of origin.
The Inta report highlights the need for the EU to replace steel trade protections so as not to undermine the competitiveness of the processing industry. It said, "This cannot be a tool to keep the industry uncompetitive while exacerbating the problem in the supply chain."
Reducing red tape for legitimate importers
European Parliament steel market analyst Jonathan Carruthers—Green said: "The Commission's initial proposal provided for serious restrictions on imports by drastically reducing quotas and doubling tariffs exceeding quotas from 25% to 50%. The Parliament's draft response points to a more pragmatic protection regime. Allowing quotas to be shifted and relaxing strict documentation requirements for "melting and bottling" will reduce the risk of artificial supply restrictions, while reducing bureaucratic red tape for legitimate importers. The project also focuses more on the impact on the processing industries, addressing one of the most controversial areas in the current guarantee system."
- MEPs regularly conduct an analysis of the EU steel market in their review of European steel and publications in the appendix to the European Steel Review. The monthly reports contain market commentary, steel price information, and 12-month steel price forecasts covering 10 EU countries and the UK. Contact the MEPs' customer service to learn more about how to subscribe.
Last month, MEPs shared information about the[url= / / /gb/en/news/analysis-understanding-the-eu-s-steel-defense-proposal]draft proposals of the European Commission on a new trade protection mechanism to replace existing protective measures for steel imports. The proposed measures, which will replace existing measures that expire at the end of June 2026, were also discussed in a special edition of the MEPs' podcast "Talking about Steel".
The Commission's decision on the proposed "melt and pour" requirement for steel imports stipulates that production certificates will be required as proof of origin. Although the INTA report highlights the need for
