Switzerland hit by stricter EU steel import rules

Stricter EU rules on steel imports affect Switzerland Keystone-SDA

The Swiss steel industry is facing tougher European tariffs after the European Union tightened import rules to protect the industry.

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EU member states and parliament have agrred that in future the duty-free import volume for steel will be limited to 18.3 million tonnes per year, EU legislators communicated on Tuesday. This is around 47% less than before.

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According to the communication from the EU states, further imports will then be subject to a punitive tariff of 50%, twice as much as before.

According to the European Commission’s communiqué, only the European Economic Area (EEA) states of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are exempt from the measure. Switzerland was therefore not exempted. The various EU institutions had already agreed on this issue beforehand.

Bern to negotiate quotas

The EC now wants to negotiate a solution with its trading partners that is compatible with the rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), according to a statement from Brussels.

The Commission wants to be “fair with its free trade partners”, said EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic last October. Switzerland has a free trade agreement with the EU.

In recent months, Bern has been campaigning in vain for an exemption. Switzerland is now hoping to receive the same quotas as before, the Keystone-SDA news agency learnt at the end of January.

In the view of the Swiss government, Swiss steel production does not contribute to global overcapacity. The EU wants to protect itself from this with the measure. Cheap steel exported from China, India and Turkey in particular is causing problems for European manufacturers.

The previous regulation on import laws expires on June 30. In order for the new rules to come into force, the member states and parliamentarians still have to formally approve them. However, this is considered a formality.

The new regulation is due to come into force on July 1.

Adapted from German by AI/mga

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