The EU will reduce low-tariff steel import quotas by half.

Error detected

The claim states that low-tariff steel import quotas will be reduced 'by half' (50%). The actual reduction, as stated in the European Parliament's own press release and confirmed by multiple independent sources, is 47% — a difference of 3 percentage points.

Omissions

• The speaker's own S&D group press release rounds the reduction to 50%, which inflates the actual 47% figure adopted by the European Parliament.
• The 50% figure in the regulation refers to the new customs duty rate on steel imports exceeding the quota (up from 25%), not to the quota reduction percentage — the speaker may be conflating these two distinct elements of the regulation.
• The reduction percentage is calculated against 2024 quota levels as the baseline; different base years could yield slightly different percentages.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Parliament Press RoomThe temporary trade liberalisation measure caps tariff-free steel imports at 18.3 million tonnes a year: a 47% reduction compared with 2024 steel quotas. It would also apply a 50% customs duty (instead of the current 25%) on steel imports above that ceiling.
• SecondaryEUROMETALThe approved text proposes lower import quotas, capping tariff-free steel imports at 18.3 million tonnes per year, down by 47% from 2024 quota levels. It also imposes a 50% customs duty on imports exceeding that threshold.
• SecondaryBritish Chambers of CommerceThe proposed EU quota tariff free for imports of primary steel products will be set at 18.3m metric tonnes per annum, a reduction of 47% on existing liberalised tariff rate quotas.