Thyssenkrupp calls on the European Commission to protect the European electrical steel sector

The company considers the launch of a safeguard investigation to be a necessary first step

Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe has called on the European Commission to take measures to protect European production of electrical steel from cheap imports from Asia, Reuters reports.

The company welcomed the launch of the EU’s safeguard investigation into grain-oriented electrical steel; according to TKSE CEO Marie Jaroni, this is a necessary first step. Imports of these products are not covered by the EU’s plans to reduce quotas on steel products and impose a 50% tariff on shipments exceeding those quotas.

Marie Jaroni noted that it is now important to act quickly and implement effective protective measures. In her view, jobs and technological expertise in Europe can only be preserved in the long term if there is a level playing field.

As a reminder, in late March, Thyssenkrupp announced that it was extending production restrictions at its site in Isbergues in northern France, citing a devastating influx of imports into the European market. The company, which specializes in the production of grain-oriented electrical steel, has been operating at half capacity since January 2026. Now, a complete halt in production has been announced for the period from June to September. Against this backdrop, 1,200 jobs in Germany and France are at risk.

As reported by GMK Center, on March 27, the European Commission announced the launch of a new investigation to assess whether protective measures are needed regarding imports of grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES). This product is used in electrical equipment such as power transformers, making it critically important for the security of the bloc’s energy infrastructure. As noted, EU-based GOES producers are facing intense import pressure from third countries, particularly China, especially against the backdrop of growing global overcapacity.