Yuriy Ryzhenkov, CEO of Ukrainian steel producer Metinvest, called on the European Union to exempt Ukraine from restrictions on steel imports.
Speaking to the BBC, Ryzhenkov criticized the inclusion of Ukrainian steel products under the same measures designed to restrict low-priced imports from countries such as China.
Describing the EU’s tariffs on imported steel as “unfair,” Ryzhenkov argued that Ukraine’s circumstances had not been taken into account when the measures were determined. He stated that Ukraine was seeking “at least an exemption” regarding its access to the EU market.
A European Commission spokesperson, meanwhile, stated that the EU takes Ukraine’s difficult circumstances into account when formulating its steel policy.
The EU regulation, aimed at protecting domestic steel producers, limits the amount of steel that can enter the bloc’s market duty-free to 18.3 million tons annually. This represents a 47% decrease compared with 2024 levels. The regulation, which also includes country-specific quotas, aims to reduce steel imports.
Although the EU and Ukraine have a free trade agreement, the agreement does not prevent the bloc from applying separate trade defence measures.
