The European Commission’s latest trade measure proposal to replace steel safeguards represents a “major shift” in how the Commission approaches World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, says Polish Steel Association (HIPH) chief executive Miroslaw Motyka.
The shift in fact already started last year when policymakers began work on new action plans for strategic EU sectors, including steel. “This is a solution the steel industry has long been calling for. It can be considered a new approach not only towards the steel sector, but also towards the entire European industry. Let’s hope this ambition and momentum will be maintained,” Motyka said at an industry gathering last week.
“The Commission, for the first time in its history, has changed its approach to World Trade Organization rules. It still recognises them, but treats them in a more creative and ambitious manner. This was also influenced by US trade policy under President Donald Trump. The industry feared that the new EU rules would be soft and compromise-oriented, and that by trying to please everyone, it would please no one. However, this did not happen,” he added.
“Quotas have been adjusted to market realities,” he noted.
Earlier this year, Motyka said the proposed melt and pour rule for EU trade defence instruments (TDIs) will help increase effectiveness of trade, having implications for TDIs, for Russian sanctions and for the carbon footprint of imports (see Kallanish passim).
CBAM must be extended to cover steel-containing goods and energy costs for industry must be brought below €60/MWh, he added
Adam Smith Austria
