The European Union has announced plans to match Donald Trump’s steel tariffs, doubling import duties to 50%, in a move that UK unions and industry leaders warn could devastate Britain’s steel sector. With nearly 80% of UK steel exports heading to the EU, the new tariffs are being described as the biggest crisis in the industry’s history.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that the UK is in active discussions with the EU and the US to prevent damage to British steelmakers. Ministers are seeking clarification from Brussels, while industry leaders have called for urgent measures to protect trade flows and prevent a flood of cheap imports from destabilizing the market.
The European Commission says the tariffs are meant to safeguard Europe’s steel sector from Chinese overcapacity and unfair trade practices. The new policy would also cut the EU’s duty-free import quota by almost half and require exporters to declare where their steel is melted and poured to block circumvention of sanctions.
UK unions warned that without government safeguards, the tariffs could lead to mass closures across the sector. Industry representatives are urging the government to secure country-specific duty-free quotas and align trade terms quickly to prevent irreversible damage.