Press Release: EU concern on US safeguard measures on steel imports

On Friday 11 February 2000, President Clinton announced the introduction of two safeguard measures restricting imports into the US of steel wire rod and welded line pipe. These measures will affect the main EC producers of these products in several Member States, including Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Greece. The Commission reiterates its serious concerns, expressed several times at the highest levels, about the lack of justification of these measures. Despite the delicate situation of the EU steel industry, the Community has consistently avoided having resort to safeguard measures. The Commission will decide in the coming days on whether to have resort to WTO dispute settlement procedures. As an immediate step, it will request consultations with the US authorities.