In the press release today, September 16, Assofermet - an association representing Italian distributors of scrap, raw materials and steel products - expressed concern about the effectiveness of new European protective measures against steel and aluminum, which will not be decisive for the continuing trade tension between the European Union and the United States.
The agreement between the USA and the EU on imported tariffs leaves a 50 percent tariff for the import of steel and aluminum without changes from June 4. This risks leading to a strong distraction of global trade flows to Europe.
In particular, Assofermet calls for the introduction of a “mechanism based on annual and quarterly quotas, not related to specific exporting countries, to ensure a balance between the protection of the steel industry and the supply of European production ”, in order to replace a new protective instrument proposed by the EU commission, which will enter into force when current measures expire in June 2026.
According to the association, an excessive ban on imports will have a catastrophic impact on the production sector of the European Union, which is already under pressure due to high costs and the implementation of the mechanism for adjusting carbon borders (CBAM).
Therefore, Assofermet offers the introduction of balanced measures that protect both manufacturers and consumers of steel, maintaining trade relations between open countries.
