EURANIMI, which represents mill-independent importers and distributors of stainless steel and aluminum, says safeguards will hardly change much before final expiration in mid-2026 reports SMR Stainless Steel Club.
In a statement shared with SMR, EURANIMI said that despite EUROFER’s demands to strengthen the measure significantly, the EC would not fundamentally change the content of the current safeguards but most probably take into account their arguments for the safeguards successor. The current instrument, in any case, expires on July 1, 2026, reaching its maximum 8-year duration under WTO rules.
“Although the EC is traditionally quick to accede to EUROFER’s requests when it comes to protecting EU steel producers, we believe that EUROFER’s demands are part of the “posturing” that is being done to prepare the ground for new measures that the EU mills will soon be requesting to replace the current safeguard measure,” EURANIMI stated.
While EURANIMI doesn’t completely exclude the possibility of the EC breaching WTO regulations by making the safeguard measure more stringent, it believes that scenario is highly unlikely amid the current unfavorable economic climate in the EU. “We are keeping our fingers crossed that common sense would prevail and that the Commission, as we expect, will not turn the entire EU steel market upside down.”
As SMR reported, Eurofer called for raising tariffs, expanding per-country caps to more products, removing quota carryovers, and ending exemptions for developing countries. However, importers and end-users representative organizations strongly opposed this position and requested a softening of restrictions. The EC is expected to unveil its decision before April 1, 2025.
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SMR Stainless Steel Club
English
31 January 2025
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