Call for halt to EU’s steel import restrictions

The European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) has written to the European Commission, calling for a temporary suspension of its restrictions on imported steel.

Reinforced steel. Photo: Adobe Images

The industry association said sourcing steel for construction had become increasingly challenging since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and restrictions on imported steel could hamper the progression of current projects.

FIEC said material such as reinforcing steel – key in many construction projects – could not easily be procured from alternative sources and price rises for these materials have already become significant.

In some cases, the organisation said, companies were having to suspend ongoing work, as well as refraining from tendering for new projects.

FIEC said some of these projects could be part of the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, an important aspect of the bloc’s post-Covid recovery strategy.

In its letter to the European Commission, FIEC asked for the following policy action:

• The temporary suspension of steel safeguard measures
• The temporary suspension of EU anti-dumping duties on steel products