Tightening of import quotas for steel

26.3.2025

Question for written answer  E-001257/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Erik Kaliňák (NI)

By tightening steel import quotas, the Commission is risking the destruction of the automotive industry, one of the mainstays of the European economy, under the guise of protecting the steel sector. How can the Commission justify a policy that raises steel prices, stifles the competitiveness of car manufacturers and puts millions of jobs at risk, instead of tackling the real problems facing the sector?

In the light of the foregoing:

• 1.What measures does it have in place to mitigate the sharp rise in steel prices which the changes in quotas may cause and which is pushing the car industry into an existential crisis?
• 2.Has the Commission carried out a detailed assessment of the policy’s impact on EU competitiveness, with particular emphasis on the automotive industry, employment and, not least, the rise in the price of steel?
• 3.Is the Commission prepared to bear the political and legal responsibility for the measure if it results in the closure of more EU car production or its departure to countries that do not adopt similarly destructive measures?

Submitted: 26.3.2025