Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1013 of 17 July 2018

Subject: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1013 of 17 July 2018

With regard to protecting the competitiveness of EU bearings manufacturers and the European labour market, if the quota referred to in the abovementioned regulation is exhausted, is it possible to increase it for high-quality hot-rolled alloy steel?

Is the Commission considering excluding raw bearing steel from the 25% duty rate in order to help EU bearings manufacturers remain competitive, or splitting it into 12 separate product categories, or granting it a separate, safe quota taking into account the needs of European manufacturers?

The regulation as it currently stands does not comply with the proportionality principle, lumping high- quality products in with cheap, easy-to-manufacture non-alloy materials for use in construction.

Answer given by Ms Malmström on behalf of the European Commission (6 December 2018)

The safeguard investigation on certain steel products is still ongoing. After the imposition of provisional measures on 18 July 2018, the Commission has invited all interested parties to submit their comments. These comments are currently being duly analysed in order to reach the most balanced conclusion reconciling the various interests at stake.

Therefore, there is no final decision yet as to whether definitive measures will be imposed and if they are, what would be their form and their scope.