EU slaps 5.6-28pc AD duties on CRC imports

The EU is set to introduce anti-dumping (AD) duties on cold-rolled coil (CRC) steel ranging from 5.6-28pc on imports from India, Japan, Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam, a document obtained by Argus shows (see table).

No date is given for the implementation of the duties, with the measures expected to come into effect once they have been published in the EU's official journal.

The probe into dumping began just under a year ago after European steel association Eurofer lodged a complaint, claiming that dumped CRC imports were detrimental to the EU steel industry. The period from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 was examined.

"Conclusions show that there were no compelling reasons that it was not in the Union's interest to impose measures on imports of CRC originating from the countries concerned," the document said.

The EU started monitoring CRC imports in early December, leading market participants to believe that retroactive duties could be imposed, although the EU eventually decided against this.

The European CRC market has been on an upward trajectory ever since the announcement of the AD investigation — mills have leveraged uncertainty and supply disruptions to hike prices.

European CRC production capacity is limited after years of relying on imported material, with mills focusing production on more profitable hot-dipped galvanised material. This, coupled with the introduction of new stringent import measures that have cut CRC free allocation, has created a tight market environment, with buyers now seemingly at the mercy of European mills.

Offers were last heard around €840/t ex-works in the northwest cold-rolled coil market, with some market participants projecting €900/t ex-works as a new potential target for mills in the coming months.

By Carlo Da Cas