Tue, 07 Oct 2025

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 EU steel tariff hike threatens 'biggest ever crisis' for UK industry

The EU is the destination for 78% of steel products made in the UK for overseas markets.

* EU plans to cut steel imports by half and impose 50% tariffs on any excess
* UK's steel industry warns that this could be "perhaps the biggest crisis" it has ever faced
* EU reduces tariff-free quotas for imports from 36 million tonnes to 18.3 million tonnes per year
* New measures will come into force early next year, pending approval by EU member states and parliament
* EU executive vice president says measures are needed to address "global over capacity, unfair competition, state aid" and "undercutting in prices"
* UK government promises "strong support" for the steel industry but refuses to comment on whether it is seeking exemptions from EU rules
* UK Steel director general warns that EU's measures could "redirect millions of tonnes of steel towards the UK", posing a threat to remaining steel companies
* Community Union represents UK steelworkers calls measures an "existential threat"
* European trade commissioner suggests that specific UK quota might be negotiated in the future
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