From the Director General
To: Member of the Trade Council of
the European Union
Monday, 13 October 2025
Subject: Informal Trade Council on 14 October in Copenhagen / Rapid adoption of the
Commission’s steel trade proposal to safeguard European industry and jobs
Dear Minister,
On 7 October 2025, the European Commission presented its Proposal for a Regulation addressing
the negative trade-related effects of global overcapacity on the Union steel market. We strongly
welcome this proposal and urge its swift adoption so that it can enter into force at the
beginning of 2026.
Europe’s steel sector is facing exceptional pressure from unfair imports linked to massive global
overcapacity, causing historical low EU steel capacity utilisation levels at around 65% that risk
further closures and layoffs across the value chain. The Commission’s proposal offers a WTO-
compliant response built around a Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) that preserves open supply while
deterring market flooding.
This measure is a lifeline for steelmakers and steelworkers – one that supports the objective of
restoring viable capacity utilisation (80–85%), stabilising employment, and providing the visibility
companies need to pursue their decarbonisation investments. It also responds to the most urgent
point of the Steel and Metals Action Plan.
Last week, U.S. ambassador Andrew Puzder addressed positively the Commission proposal,
highlighting that it could make it easier to negotiate adjustments to the U.S. 50% blanket tariff on
EU steel. The proposal is a good step forward for the trade negotiations with the U.S. and for
jointly ring-fencing against products from countries that are responsible for global steel
overcapacity and its spillover effects.
Given the urgency, with indications that current safeguard quota levels were exceeded by triple
digits in just two days, we kindly call on your support to ensure that the Council will:
• Prioritise a rapid adoption of the Commission’s proposal to ensure it is operational at the
start of 2026, and
The European Steel Association (EUROFER) AISBL | Avenue de Cortenbergh, 172, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Page |1 +32 3 738 79 20 |
[email protected] | www.eurofer.eu
EU Transparency Register: ID 93038071152-83 | VAT: BE0675653894. The RLE or RPM is Brussels
From the Director General
• leverage the positive U.S. signal and pursue a constructive resolution of U.S. tariffs on EU
steel, using the Commission proposal as a foundation to ringfence against global
overcapacity and its spillover effects.
We also support the possibility in the Commission proposal to swiftly extend the scope to steel
derivatives that face increasingly similar spillover impacts from global overcapacity built up in
China and other Asean countries. Europe’s steel industry and its value-chains are central to our
industrial resilience, climate transition and strategic autonomy, and require a timely and
effective instrument to withstand the current shocks caused by global steel overcapacities.
We trust in your leadership in ensuring that this legislative proposal is successfully and rapidly
adopted.
Yours sincerely,
Axel Eggert,
Director General
The European Steel Association (EUROFER)
The European Steel Association (EUROFER) AISBL | Avenue de Cortenbergh, 172, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Page |2 +32 3 738 79 20 |
[email protected] | www.eurofer.eu
EU Transparency Register: ID 93038071152-83 | VAT: BE0675653894. The RLE or RPM is Brussels
Saatja:
[email protected] <
[email protected]>
Saaja:
[email protected]
Teema: EUROFER Letter ahead of the Informal Trade Council on 14 October
Dear Sir/Madam,
Please find attached a letter from Axel Eggert, Director General of EUROFER (European Steel Asscoiation), addressed to the members of the Trade Council of the European Union, ahead of the Informal Trade Council on 14 October, kindly requesting their support in rapid adoption of the Commission's steel trade proposal.
May I Kindly ask you to send the letter to your relevant Minister for Trade.
Many thanks in advance for your assistance.
Kind regards,
[Zaldastanishvili Nino]
The European Steel Association is recorded in the EU transparency register: 93038071152-83.
VAT: BE0675653894. The RLE or RPM is Brussels
[cid:
[email protected]]
Saatja: "Webdesktop" <
[email protected]>
Saaja: "info - MKM" <
[email protected]>,
[email protected],
[email protected], "maarja.mere" <
[email protected]>
Teema: [WARNING: ATTACHMENT UNSCANNED]Webdesktop: Edastame Euroopa Teraseühenduse peadirektori Alex Eggerti kirja
Kuupäev: 2025-10-13 14:15
Reg. number: 10.1-13/989
Reg. kuupäev: 13.10.2025
Sisu: Edastame Euroopa Teraseühenduse peadirektori Alex Eggerti kirja
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