Consultations with interested WTO members will be held on 11-18 March.
The European Union has notified adjustments to its safeguard measures on certain steel imports, with changes set to take effect in two phases, according to the notice published on the WTO website on 12 March, Kallanish notes.
The notification confirms the details provided in the leaked European Commission document earlier this week.
The first set of adjustments will come into force on 1 April, including the division of Category 1 into two subcategories, updates to the list of WTO developing countries excluded from safeguard measures, the removal of access to residual quotas in specific product categories, the redistribution of sanction volumes, and the introduction of quota caps in areas experiencing strong import pressure.
A second phase of changes will take effect on 1 July, when the liberalisation rate will be reduced from 1% to 0.1%. Additionally, the carry-over mechanism for unused quotas will be repealed in categories facing significant import pressure. The safeguard measure itself will remain in place until 30 June 2026, with a planned liberalisation rate of 0.1% per year.
With these changes, the Commission aims to balance trade while stabilising the EU steel industry, which has been affected by weak consumption and global overcapacity. While exporters and users will still have access to duty-free quotas, new limitations will apply to ensure the safeguard measure remains effective. Stakeholders must contact the European Commission within the designated timeframe for further consultation.
Elina Virchenko Turkey
