EU extends suspension of steel safeguard measures for Ukraine

The EU Council has adopted a resolution to extend the suspension of EU safeguard measures for Ukraine on iron and steel.

As noted, the goal is to alleviate the difficulties faced by Ukrainian producers and exporters as a result of the war.

At the same time, it is noted that the European Commission will be able to adopt an implementing act to suspend this regulation for certain products for up to twelve months.

“The decision to suspend will be made if imports of these goods from Ukraine increase to a level that significantly harms or threatens to harm the Union’s industry producing similar or directly competing goods,” the statement said.

The resolution will enter into force on June 6 and will be applied for three years.

The EU Council recalled that since 2018, the EU has been applying safeguard measures to certain imports of iron and steel to protect its producers from global overproduction. As part of the EU’s support to Ukraine during the war, these measures were exempted. The EU Council resolution of June 5, 2025, authorizes the extension of this exemption.

“Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine has had a profound negative impact on Ukraine’s ability to trade with the rest of the world. For example, this concerned the ferrous metallurgy industry due to the occupation or destruction of production facilities,” the statement said.

As a reminder, on May 8, the European Parliament supported the extension of the suspension of import duties and quotas on certain goods from Ukraine, including steel products. According to this decision, the preferential regime will be extended for another three years, until June 2028. The current simplifications were due to expire on June 5, 2025.