EU steel safeguard rules favor India, sparking protest from European manufacturers

The European Union introduced a new safeguard mechanism for stainless‑steel imports that took effect on 1 July 2026. Under the Regulation, import quotas are allocated per country, giving India a 27.3 % share that European producers say is insufficiently reduced, while other suppliers face steeper cuts – for example, Switzerland’s quota falls by about 41 % and the United Kingdom’s by more than 56 %.

A coalition of European stainless‑steel makers, including Italy’s Cogne Acciai, Marcegaglia, Valbruna, Rodacciai, France’s Ugitech and Spain’s Roldan, sent a letter to EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. They argue the quota‑allocation method undermines diversification of supply sources and disadvantages European firms, calling for a revision of the “first‑come, first‑served” excess‑contingent distribution and a reassessment of the product‑14 (bars and light profiles) quotas.

The letter seeks a policy back‑track before the new import limits further distort the European steel market.