The European Commission took today an important step to protect the EUs ferroalloy industry – which employs some 1,800 people in the EU – by imposing definitive safeguard measures on imports of certain ferroalloys into the European Union. This decision brings to a close an 11 month-long legal procedure and investigation.
The definitive measures imposed consist of country-specific tariff rate quotas (TRQs) per type of ferroalloy, limiting the volume of imports to enter the EU duty-free. Imports exceeding these quota volumes may enter duty-free if their price exceeds the established threshold. For imports priced below the established threshold, the applicable duty shall be equivalent to the difference between the net free-at-Union-frontier price and the established price threshold for each product type. While the safeguard measures apply indiscriminately to all third countries — including Norway and Iceland, which are part of the EEA — they have been carefully designed to minimise the impact on the integrated European value chain. The Commission will conduct trimonthly consultations with Norway and Iceland and will carefully review the impact of the measure. The approach aims to reinforce the resilience of wider European supply chains.
Ferroalloys are important for making steel, helping to improve its strength, hardness, and resistance to corrosion. They are crucial in the construction, automotive, aerospace or military industries, for example, improving the quality and performance of steel in sectors where high-performance and durability are vital.
The decision to impose definitive measures follows a safeguard investigation initiated in December 2024, which concluded that an influx of these imports into the EU is causing serious injury to the EU-based ferroalloy industry. The investigation confirmed that imports into the EU of certain alloys have increased because of global overcapacity, import restrictions in place in other major markets, and overall tariff increases.
Imports increased by 17% between 2019 and 2024, causing the market share for EU producers to fall from 38% to 24%.
The Commission has ensured that the measures imposed today are compatible with the EUs commitments under existing bilateral or regional trade agreements with third countries.
The measures will be in place for a period of three years, expiring on 17 November 2028.
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Commission initiates safeguard investigation into imports of alloys
