The European Commission has initiated an antidumping investigation into imports of cold-rolled flat steel products from India, Japan, Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam, in response to allegations that below-cost pricing is harming the EU’s domestic steel industry.
In a statement released Sept. 18, the EC announced that it had launched the investigation in response to a complaint filed Aug. 4 by Eurofer, the European Steel Association.
The investigation targets cold-rolled flat steel products — an important industrial input used in automotive, appliance and construction applications — that Eurofer alleges are being sold in Europe at prices below fair market value.
Specific products subject to investigation include flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, cold-rolled and not further processed, but excludes electrical steel, black plates under 0.35 mm thickness, silicon-electrical steel, and high-speed steel products. The products fall under multiple CN classification codes including 7209 15 00, 7209 16 90, and 7209 17 90.
The commission added that dumping allegations are based on comparisons between domestic prices in the five countries and their export prices to the EU at ex-works level.
Under EU trade defense regulations, dumping occurs when products are exported at prices below those charged in the home market or below production costs.
The statement advised that interested parties have 10 days from the notice publication to submit information regarding the product scope definition.
Antidumping investigations typically take 12-15 months to complete. If dumping and injury are confirmed, the EU can impose definitive duties ranging from several percentage points to over 50% of import values, depending on dumping margins calculated for individual exporters.
The investigation reflects ongoing tensions in the global steel trade, where overcapacity concerns and competitive pressures have led to numerous trade defense actions worldwide.
Negative sentiment
European steelmakers have faced challenges from lower-cost imports while dealing with high energy costs and environmental regulations that increase production expenses compared to some international competitors.
Domestic spot demand for cold-rolled coil has been largely lackluster through 2025, with many sources citing limited buying interest since the outset of summer — attributing it to poor sentiment in both the automotive and construction industries across Europe.
Likewise, interest in imported CRC into North and South Europe has also remained poor, with outlooks worsened by CBAM’s introduction in 2026, and the current safeguard system.
As of Sept 18, the quarterly import quota for CRC reflects a slightly reduced appetite, with only South Korea-origin material reaching a critical level, with only approx. 3.5% of its quota remaining. The next most popular country of origin fell into the ‘other’ designation, which still has 47.74% net remaining, while India still has over 52% left on its balance, or 87,241mt.
Platts assessed domestic CRC in Northern Europe at Eur660/mt ($781/mt) EXW Ruhr, stable day over day. In Southern Europe, CRC was assessed at Eur650/mt EXW Italy, stable week over week.
Platts assessed imported CRC at Eur600/mt CIF South Europe and at Eur610/mt CIF Antwerp, both unchanged.
