LegalizeCommission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/612 of 24 March 2025 amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products
This is the act as published. Later amendments are not folded into the text below: each one is a separate act in this repository and an entry in this law's history.
‘5. Where the relevant tariff-rate quota under paragraph 2 is exhausted for one specific country, imports from that country for some product categories can be made under the remaining part of the tariff-rate quota for the same product category. This provision shall only apply during the last quarter of each year of application of the definitive tariff-rate quota. For product categories 1A, 2, 3B, 4A, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25B and 26 no further access to the remaining part of the tariff-rate quota will be allowed. For product categories 1B, 3A, 9, 10, 12, 27 and 28 only access to a specific volume within the tariff-rate quota volume initially available in the last quarter, will be allowed. In product category 4B no exporting country shall be allowed to use, on its own, more than 30 % of the residual tariff-rate quota volume initially available in the last quarter of each year of application of measures.’
- (3) Article 1, paragraph 7, is amended as follows:
‘7. A maximum import volume for categories 1A and 2 is 13 %; for categories 16 and 17 is 15 %; for categories 4B, 6, 7 and 13 is 20 %; for categories 4A, 5 and 14 is 25 %; for categories 3B, 20 21, 25B and 26 is 30 % per country of the available free-of duty quota at the beginning of the quarter established in Annex IV.1 to this Regulation shall be applicable to countries importing through the ‘Other countries’ quota. The maximum import volume applies to countries not having a country specific quota and is applicable in all quarters.’
- (4) Annex III.2 is replaced by Annex I to this Regulation;
- (5) Annex IV is replaced by Annex II to this Regulation.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 24 March 2025.
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
Regulation (EU) 2015/478 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2015 on common rules for imports (OJ L 83, 27.3.2015, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2015/478/oj).
Regulation (EU) 2015/755 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 on common rules for imports from certain third countries (OJ L 123, 19.5.2015, p. 33, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2015/755/oj).
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 of 31 January 2019 imposing definitive safeguard measures against imports of certain steel products (
OJ L 31, 1.2.2019, p. 27, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/159/oj).
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1029 of 24 June 2021 amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 to prolong the safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products (OJ L 225, 25.6.2021, p.1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2021/1029/oj).
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1782 of 24 June 2024 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159, including the prolongation of the safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products (OJ L, 2024/1782, 25.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/1782/oj).
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1590 of 26 September 2019 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing definitive safeguard measures against imports of certain steel products (OJ L 248, 27.9.2019, p.28, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/1590/oj).
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/894 of 29 June 2020 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing definitive safeguard measures against imports of certain steel products; (OJ L 206, 30.6.2020, p.27, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2020/894/oj).
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/978 of 23 June 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products (OJ L 167, 24.6.2022, p.58, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2022/978/oj).
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1301 of 26 June 2023 amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products (OJ L 161, 27.6.2023, p.44, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/1301/oj).
For a full list of the different adjustments to the measure, including among others, the adjustment of TRQs following Brexit, and following the sanctions on Belarus and Russia, see DG TRADE’s website: https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/investigations/search.
Regulation (EU) 2015/478 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2015 on common rules for imports (OJ L 83, 27.3.2015, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2015/478/oj).
Regulation (EU) 2015/755 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 on common rules for imports from certain third countries (OJ L 123, 19.5.2015, p. 33, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2015/755/oj).
Notice of initiation concerning a functioning review of the safeguard measure applicable to imports of certain steel products (OJ C, C/2024/7515, 17.12.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/7515/oj).
The open versions of questionnaire replies are available for inspection by interested parties in the open file of the investigation: https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/tron/TDI (accessible only to registered interested parties).
The templates of the questionnaires are available on https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/investigations/case-history?caseId=2645.
The Commission was closed due to public holiday for civil servants between 22 December 2024 and 2 January 2025.
Regulation (EU) 2015/478 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2015 on common rules for imports (OJ L 83, 27.3.2015, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2015/478/oj).
OECD: Latest developments in steelmaking capacity and outlook until 2027, DSTI/SC (2024) 15, October 2024.
WorldSteel Association: Short Range Outlook (October 2024).
OECD: Latest developments in steelmaking capacity and outlook until 2027, DSTI/SC (2024) 15, October 2024.
See Ministerial statement at: https://www.oecd.org/en/events/2024/10/ministerial-meeting-of-the-global-forum-on-steel-excess-capacity.html.
OECD: Steel Trade and Policy Developments (Jan-Sept. ’24), DSTI/SC(2024) 16, Table 1; Steel Orbis: https://www.steelorbis.com/steel-news/latest-news/chinas-steel-exports-up-in-december-from-november-up-227-in-2024-1374163.htm#:~:text=In%202024%2C%20China's%20finished,112%20million%20mt%20in%202015.
WorldSteel Association: Short Range Outlook (October 2024).
See OECD: Steel trade and trade policy developments (Jan. - Sept 2024), DSTI/SC(2024) 16, Section 3; 28 October 2024. In particular, Table 3 shows that some of the countries seeing the largest increase of Chinese import presence in their domestic markets, are amongst those that have, in turn, increased their exports to the Union.
For a broader analysis on correlation between excess capacity and export developments, see GFSEC: ’Steel exports, trade remedy actions and sources of excess capacity’ (May 2024).
The impact of the US Section 232 measure on trade flows into the Union market has been assessed at length in the original regulation imposing a safeguard measure as well as in several review investigations.
The templates of the questionnaires are available on https://tron.trade.ec.europa.eu/investigations/case-history?caseId=2645.
Given that the questionnaire replies do not include every steel producer in the Union, market share of the Union industry has been calculated based on the consumption data, import data and data from questionnaire replies.
See recital 47 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 of 31 January 2019 imposing definitive safeguard measures against imports of certain steel products (
OJ L 31, 1.2.2019, p. 27, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/159/oj).
For a full description of the product families, see recital 21 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 of 31 January 2019 imposing definitive safeguard measures against imports of certain steel products (
OJ L 31, 1.2.2019, p. 27, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/159/oj).
For a broader picture on import evolution in previous years, see Table 2 of the Definitive Regulation and Table 9 of the First Prolongation Review Regulation.
WorldSteel Association: Short Range Outlook (October 2024).
Article 7.4 of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards.
Article 19(4) of the Basic Safeguard Regulation.
The liberalisation level was reduced from the announced 5% to 3% in the First Functioning Review of September 2019, and it was increased from 3% to 4% as a result of the Third Functioning Review in June 2022.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1782 of 24 June 2024 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159, including the prolongation of the safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products (OJ L, 2024/1782, 25.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2024/1782/oj).
The EU safeguard year starts on 1 July of a given year and ends on 30 June of the following year.
See Section 3.2.3 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/894 of 29 June 2020 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing definitive safeguard measures against imports of certain steel Products.
Council Regulation (EU) 2022/355 of 2 March 2022 amending Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus (OJ L 67, 2.3.2022, p. 1) and Council Regulation (EU) 2022/428 of 15 March 2022 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine (OJ L 87 I, 15.3.2022, p. 13).
See recital (33) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/894 of 29 June 2020 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing definitive safeguard measures against imports of certain steel products,
OJ L 206, 30.6.2020, p. 27: “Lastly, the Commission also notes that the reference period used to calculate the TRQs constitutes one of the pillars in the design of the measures set ab initio by the Definitive Safeguard Regulation, and that the scope of the Review does not cover the substantial modification of the basic structure of the measures”.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447 of 24 November 2015 laying down detailed rules for implementing certain provisions of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the Union Customs Code (OJ L 343, 29.12.2015, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2015/2447/oj)
See recital 146 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 of 31 January 2019 imposing definitive safeguard measures against imports of certain steel products (
OJ L 31, 1.2.2019, p. 27, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/159/oj).
For example, category 8. See recital 53 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/894 of 29 June 2020 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing definitive safeguard measures against imports of certain steel products (OJ L 206, 30.6.2020, p. 27–62, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2020/894/oj).
ANNEX I
“ANNEX III.2
List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply
| List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply | List of product categories originating in developing countries to which the definitive measures apply |
| Country / Product group | 1A | 1B | 2 | 3A | 3B | 4A | 4B | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 25A | 25B | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Albania | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brazil | X | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| China | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Egypt | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| India | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Indonesia | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kazakhstan | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Malaysia | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moldova | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Macedonia | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oman | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saudi Arabia | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Africa | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thailand | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tunisia | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turkey | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Ukraine | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||||||||
| United Arab Emirates | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vietnam | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||||||||
| All other developing countries | X |
”
ANNEX II
“ANNEX IV
IV.1 – Volumes of tariff–rate quotas
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