EU to Increase Steel Tariffs to 50% to Counter Global Oversupply
The European Union has provisionally agreed to raise tariffs on steel imports to 50% and reduce the annual duty-free quota to 18.3 million tons. This measure aims to protect the EU's steel industry from global overcapacity, which is largely attributed to subsidized production from China.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 11:16
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 11:31 (15 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 14, 2026 at 13:18 (1h 46m after Collected)
On April 13, EU legislative bodies and member state governments reached a preliminary agreement to protect the regional steel industry. The import tariff on steel will be increased to 50%, and the duty-free import quota will be reduced to 18.3 million tons annually, based on 2013 import levels. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic stated this decision is a response to critical levels of global overcapacity and is essential for the EU's strategic autonomy. The measures will apply to all non-EEA countries (excluding Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) after formal approval by the European Council and Parliament. The current 25% tariff is set to expire at the end of June. The EU identifies 2013 as the year market imbalances began, linking it to substantial subsidies provided to Chinese steel producers, whose output now constitutes over half of the global total.