The European Commission’s October 2025 Proposal for a new trade measure addressing the negative trade effects of global steel overcapacity represents a turning point in EU trade and industrial policy. Unlike anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard regimes, the trade proposal explicitly links imports to the capacity and demand situation of the Union steel industry, with the aim of protecting and promoting industrial capacity essential to Europe’s green transition, economic resilience and security. This article reviews the economic rationale behind the initiative, places it within the broader dynamics of global overcapacity and proliferating protectionism, and touches upon its implications for the EU steel value chain.
Global Trade and Customs Journal