EU moves to double steel tariffs, threatening Korean exports

EU, 철강관세 50％ 인상 한국 업계 타격

The European Union is moving to double tariffs on imported steel while slashing duty-free quotas.
This is a move aimed at protecting its own industry but could spell trouble for major exporters, including South Korea.
Byeon Ye-young reports.

The European Union has announced plans to raise tariffs on imported steel to 50 percent, doubling the current rate, and halve the current duty-free steel import quota.


“A new import regime replacing the current safeguards that expires on 30th June 2026 will cut the tariff-free import quota by 47 percent, from 33 million tons to 18.3 million tons, introduce a prohibitive 50 percent out-of-quota tariff.”

EU Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné stressed that the move is aimed at protecting the region’s steel industry and preserving jobs, noting that 18-thousand positions were lost last year.

The new rule will apply to all countries that are not part of the European Economic Area, while individual country-specific quotas will be set through bilateral negotiations.
The regulation will replace the existing steel safeguard, first introduced in 2018 to counter U.S. tariffs, which must end by June next year under World Trade Organization rules.
The European Commission emphasized that it hopes to implement the measure as early as possible, potentially before the safeguard’s scheduled expiration.

For South Korea, the move raises serious concern.
The EU is Korea’s largest steel export market, with exports worth 4-point-48 billion U.S. dollars last year, slightly higher than shipments to the United States.
Korean steelmakers already fill their existing duty-free quotas to the limit, meaning any quota cuts would directly increase costs and threaten competitiveness.
EU officials also hinted that the tougher import regime could serve as leverage in ongoing trade talks with Washington, as Brussels continues to demand that the U.S. ease its own steel tariffs.
Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.

#EUSteelTariffs #TradeProtection #KoreanExports #EU철강관세 #무역보복 #한국수출 #arirangnews #아리랑뉴스

📣 Facebook :   / arirangtvnews  
📣 Twitter :   / arirangtvnews  
📣 Homepage : https://arirang.com/

2025-10-08, 12:00 (KST)