Polish ECR MEP Jadwiga Wiśniewska has asked the European Commission whether it plans to impose tariff rate quotas (TRQs) on third countries to reduce steel imports that she argues are flooding the EU market and undermining the competitiveness of the bloc's steel industry. In a written parliamentary question submitted on 27 May 2026, Wiśniewska also pressed the Commission on how it intends to handle imports from Ukraine and whether it will avoid using the 'exceptional circumstances' clause to increase allocations for EU candidate countries.
The question targets the implementing regulation that the Commission must adopt under the regulation protecting the EU steel industry from global overcapacity (2025/0726(COD)). Wiśniewska argues that the new trade tool will only be effective if it is watertight and based on mechanisms that tangibly reduce the influx of cheap steel from outside the EU, which she says benefits from lower climate standards than those imposed on EU producers under the Emissions Trading System.
Concrete asks and policy direction
The MEP makes three specific demands. First, she asks whether the Commission plans to impose TRQs to tangibly reduce imports from countries that are overproducing. Second, she requests that quotas for Ukrainian steel be based on an objective share of imports to the EU in the 2022–2024 period, implying that Ukraine should not receive preferential treatment beyond that baseline. Third, she asks the Commission to ensure the credibility of the instrument by not using the 'exceptional circumstances' clause for EU candidate countries as a basis for increasing their allocations.
The question signals a protectionist orientation, seeking to tighten trade defence measures against third-country producers while limiting exceptions for Ukraine and candidate countries. Wiśniewska's stance reflects a cleavage between protecting EU steel producers' competitiveness and maintaining open trade with neighbouring countries, particularly Ukraine, which has benefited from trade liberalisation since the Russian invasion.
Expected follow-up
The Commission is required to reply to the written question within approximately six weeks. Its answer will indicate whether it intends to adopt a restrictive quota regime or maintain a more flexible approach, especially regarding Ukraine. The implementing regulation itself is expected to be adopted in the coming months, and the Commission's response will signal the likely direction of the new trade tool. Stakeholders most affected include EU steel producers, who face import competition; third-country exporters, particularly from China and Turkey; Ukrainian steel exporters; and EU downstream users of steel, who may face higher input costs if quotas are tightened.
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