In a recent report, the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade (INTA) outlined significant amendments to the EU’s proposed long-term steel safeguard. Approved overwhelmingly in late January, the changes focus on tightening oversight and rebalancing authority.

Key adjustments include stricter monitoring of impacts on downstream industries, including mandatory reviews of domestic steel prices, and limits on the Commission’s power in tariff compensation talks. INTA also reinforced “melt-and-pour” origin rules to prevent circumvention, although the shift to allocating quotas by production location rather than origin may face legal challenges.

While stopping short of reinstating quota carry-overs, the amendments address import concentration risks. The committee also narrowed the scope for WTO compensation negotiations, framing the safeguards as a temporary measure to support decarbonization. 

The proposal now moves to the Commission and Council for further debate.