Isn’t It Time to Think About Europe’s Manufacturers?

EURANIMI calls for the removal or suspension of anti-dumping (AD) and countervailing duties (CVD) on stainless steel cold-rolled flat products (SSCR) from China, Taiwan, India and Indonesia, including their extensions to Turkey, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The Union’s Interest

The halving of import quotas, the doubling of the out-of-quota duty from 25% to 50%, and the introduction of CBAM have fundamentally changed the conditions under which the existing trade defence measures were originally imposed. Additionally, the former safeguard system — under which only the higher of the safeguard duty and the applicable AD/CVD duties was payable — has been replaced by a tariff regime in which these duties are cumulative.

Together, these changes have dramatically strengthened the protection afforded to EU stainless steel producers. The new 50% out-of-quota duty alone makes SSCR imports beyond the strictly limited quotas commercially unviable in most circumstances. Where any doubt remains, EURANIMI demonstrates that CBAM makes this barrier commercially insurmountable.

This raises a fundamental question: now that EU stainless steel producers benefit from such extensive protection, is it really in the Union’s interest to prevent European manufacturers from accessing competitively priced SSCR within the limited import quotas that the EU itself has chosen to maintain?

Would You Sacrifice Your Daughter to Save Your Son?

EURANIMI does not dispute the need to protect European stainless steel producers against unfair competition. The European Commission has now taken care of that. But what about Europe’s manufacturers? What is gained by saving one industry if doing so puts its own customers at risk?

European manufacturers depend on access to raw materials at internationally competitive prices. Making these materials increasingly expensive weakens their competitive position. On export markets, their competitors have access to steel without the additional burden of EU tariffs and CBAM. The problem is greater still on the European market, where they face imported finished products made with that same, less expensive steel.

And ultimately, who will buy Europe’s protected steel if its main customers give up or move their production elsewhere?

What is EURANIMI asking for?

Very simple!

Throughout its 13-page submission to the European Commission, EURANIMI demonstrates, with facts and figures, that importing SSCR outside the new tariff quotas is commercially unviable.

In 2027, obtaining verified emissions data throughout the entire production chain will remain particularly challenging for downstream products such as SSCR. Where the 50% out-of-quota duty alone might not be enough to deter imports, CBAM default values will effectively close the door.

Anti-dumping and countervailing duties therefore serve little additional purpose. With or without them, European stainless steel producers are extensively protected. Yet these duties unnecessarily increase the cost of the small volumes of SSCR that can still enter the EU within the limited quotas.

So why not remove them? Or, at the very least, suspend them temporarily until there is greater clarity about the use of verified actual emissions under CBAM.

Within the strictly limited quotas, European manufacturers should be allowed to benefit as fully as possible from the diversity and competitiveness of global supply.

This would give them some much-needed breathing space.

Rather than saving a son by sacrificing a daughter, wouldn’t we all prefer one happy family?

Make Your Voice Heard in Brussels

EURANIMI recognises the challenges facing European policymakers and the need for appropriate trade measures. Our role is to ensure that the practical consequences of these measures for importers, distributors and manufacturers are also heard and understood in Brussels.

Don’t just watch from the sidelines. Join EURANIMI and help bring the industry’s experience and concerns to the attention of EU decision-makers.