Recommendation 9

We ask the Government to confirm if the European Commission’s commitment to ‘duly reflect’ historic UK export volumes of Category 17 steel in its new steel tariff regime means that historic UK volumes of such exports will still be able to enter the EU tariff-free from June. We also ask the Government to clarify if it sought a more durable arrangement with the EU on steel tariffs in the run-up to the May 2025 summit; provide an update on its engagement with the Commission more generally to avoid the imposition of tariffs on exports of British steel in other categories from summer 2026; 87 and set out to what extent the UK’s “red lines” for negotiations with the EU, particularly on customs matters and the Single Market, affect its ability to do so. (Recommendation, Paragraph 40)