ZURICH (Reuters) -Swiss industry on Wednesday raised concern over the European Union’s plans to cut tariff-free steel import quotas by almost half and to set a 50% tariff for excess shipments, urging the bloc to make exceptions for Switzerland.
Industry association Swissmem said curbs on free trade would hurt Swiss manufacturers, which are already facing far steeper U.S. tariffs under the Trump administration’s efforts to re-order global trade than their counterparts inside the EU.
EU steel is currently protected by safeguards that cap imports of 26 steel grades, with 25% tariffs above those limits. They have steadily risen each year despite declining demand and under World Trade Organization rules must expire in mid-2026.
“We’re concerned about the planned reduction in duty-free steel quotas to the EU,” a Swissmem spokesperson said.
“If the EU doesn’t grant Switzerland duty-free quotas on a similar scale to what there currently is, the steel industry in Switzerland will have a major problem.”
The group called for a negotiated solution and said even at 25% tariffs, companies cannot compete in the EU market.
Switzerland and the EU are in the process of approving a new deal to deepen trade ties, and any disputes over tariffs between the two risk complicating those efforts.
Steelmaker Swiss Steel said it is still analysing the EU’s planned measures but that it was important that Switzerland be exempted from such measures.
Aside from Swiss Steel and peer Stahl Gerlafingen, dozens of other Swiss firms export processed steel to the EU.
(Reporting by Oliver HirtEditing by Dave Graham, Alexandra Hudson)
