The European Commission has signalled its intention to renew current steel safeguard measures ahead of their scheduled expiry on July 1, saying the updated regime will cover all trading partners of the European Union, including Switzerland.
In a regular briefing, spokesperson Paula Pinho said the commission is working to ensure an implementing act that spells out the relevant quotas is adopted by the July 1 deadline. The comments made clear the commission wants a definitive legal instrument in place before the safeguards lapse.
Pinho reiterated that the forthcoming safeguards will apply to the entire roster of EU partners, and she specifically included Switzerland in that scope. She also noted that countries within the European Economic Area will be only partly exempted from the measures.
The commission confirmed the renewal process is active. Officials are in discussions with trading partners as they prepare the implementing act, with Pinho emphasising that engagement with all partners, including Switzerland, is under way.
Context and next steps
According to the commission spokesperson, the immediate objective is to finalise an implementing act that specifies quotas tied to the safeguard measures by the July 1 deadline. Beyond that timeline, the commission has indicated ongoing talks with partners as part of the renewal process.
The statements provided by the commission were limited to the timetable for the implementing act and the intended scope of application. No additional details on the quota levels or other technical design elements of the renewed safeguards were provided in the briefing.
What the commission has confirmed
- The commission plans to renew steel safeguard measures before they expire on July 1.
- The renewed rules are intended to apply to all EU trading partners, explicitly including Switzerland.
- Only countries within the European Economic Area will be partly exempted from the measures.
- The commission said the renewal process is ongoing and that officials are engaging with partners, including Switzerland.
The commission's comments were provided during its daily briefing and reflect the current status of the renewal effort as described by the spokesperson. No further technical or numerical details were disclosed at that time.