EU steps up steel import monitoring after US measures

Spanish Market: Metals
03/04/25

The EU has immediately increased its surveillance of steel imports in response to additional tariffs in the US, and global overcapacity.

"We want to prevent that the steel that hits [the US] tariff wall doesn't hit us here in Europe," a senior EU official said. "Under the WTO rules, the safeguard agreement, we can close our markets due to an unexpected and sudden influx of imports and where a quick reaction is needed".

"We have different tools, safeguards is one of them. How exactly we will be using those tools to deal with this trade diversionist effect, that depends on what happens, that depends on the analysis," he added.

Global excess steel capacity is forecast to increase to more than 720mn t by 2027, from 602mn t last year, according to the OECD — this is over five times EU steel production.

Retaliatory tariffs in the US on all trade partners risk a trade diversion that could further dampen steel demand downstream as well as upstream.

Finished goods diversion a challenge

European service centres, distributors and processors have already struggled with an increase in imports of components and finished goods, which has undermined demand from their own customers.

European steel, tube and metal distributors association Eurometal has recently been lobbying for downstream import protection. Senior figures from the association were in Brussels today, discussing the issue.

"We are spreading the message to the European Commission that we need to protect the steel consumption in Europe, not only production," Tata Steel Layde managing director and former Eurometal president Fernando Espada said on LinkedIn from Brussels.

EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic will speak on 4 April with US secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick. Officials added that the EU is a partner in finding solutions to problems from an ineffective rules-based system or "global overcapacity that comes from a large non-market economy".

By Dafydd ab Iago and Colin Richardson

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04/04/25

Egyptian rebar clears EU customs as merchant bar

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Tariffs and their impact larger than expected: Powell

04/04/25

Tariffs and their impact larger than expected: Powell

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Silicon, ferro-silicon hit by US tariffs

04/04/25

Silicon, ferro-silicon hit by US tariffs

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US adds 228,000 jobs in March: BLS

04/04/25

US adds 228,000 jobs in March: BLS

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Funding cuts could delay US river lock renovations

03/04/25

Funding cuts could delay US river lock renovations

Houston, 3 April (Argus) — The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) will have to choose between various lock reconstruction and waterway projects for its annual construction plan after its funding was cut earlier this year. Last year Congress allowed the Corps to use $800mn from unspent infrastructure funds for other waterways projects. But when Congress passed a continuing resolutions for this year's budget they effectively removed that $800mn from what was a $2.6bn annual budget for lock reconstruction and waterways projects. This means a construction plan that must be sent to Congress by 14 May can only include $1.8bn in spending. No specific projects were allocated funding by Congress, allowing the Corps the final say on what projects it pursues under the new budget. River industry trade group Waterways Council said its top priority is for the Corps to provide a combined $205mn for work at the Montgomery lock in Pennsylvania on the Ohio River and Chickamauga lock in Tennesee on the Tennessee River since they are the nearest to completion and could become more expensive if further delayed. There are seven active navigation construction projects expected to take precedent, including the following: the Chickamauga and Kentucky Locks on the Tennessee River; Locks 2-4 on the Monongahela River; the Three Rivers project on the Arkansas River; the LaGrange Lock and Lock 25 on the Illinois River; and the Montgomery Lock on the Ohio River. There are three other locks in Texas, Pennsylvania and Illinois that are in the active design phase (see map) . By Meghan Yoyotte Corps active construction projects 2025 Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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