The European Commission have announced provisional safeguard measures on imports of a number of steel products. These measures will address the diversion of steel from other countries to the EU market as a result of the recently imposed US tariffs (Section 232). The safeguard measures came into effect yesterday and include a range of stainless steel products.

Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström said: "The US tariffs on steel products are causing trade diversion, which may result in serious harm to EU steelmakers and workers in this industry. We are left with no other choice than to introduce provisional safeguard measures to protect our domestic industry against a surge of imports.”