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PRIVACY
Manufacturing

Steel safeguards saved as last minute regulations introduced to stop flood of cheap imports

British Steel welcomes intervention and efforts of Scunthorpe MP to stop Trade Remedies Authority recommendations being passed

Production at British Steel.(Image: Steve Morgan)

Last-minute regulations have been brought in by government to enable crucial steel safeguards to be maintained.

A rollover of 15 existing protections for a further year will now be implemented as an 11th hour intervention put an end to fears that the ‘flood gates would open to cheap imports’.

The Trade Remedies Authority had recommended scrapping nine of the 19 protections, with the danger that if not accepted by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss it could see all expire.

It came as the EU renewed all - furthering concerns the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ could be a soft target - with MPs with steel plants in their constituencies, backed by unions and industry forcing the hand.

Ms Truss put down a written statement confirming the move, bringing in a temporary extension on a further five of the 19 steel products for one year. It will allow for the industry to appeal recemmendations "so any new evidence can be reviewed in the context of the unique global market conditions which currently prevail".

She said: "The º£½ÇÊÓÆµ Government will always do everything in its power to defend º£½ÇÊÓÆµ industry and jobs and to allow our world-leading manufacturers to compete on a level playing field. Current disruption to industry caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, threats of dumping and unfair subsidies, and continued trade restrictions in third countries all put º£½ÇÊÓÆµ steel products at an unacceptable disadvantage.

"The steel sector supports the jobs of over 80,000 people across the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ, including some 35,000 well-paid jobs in steel production, and a further 44,000 jobs supported in wider supply chains.

"That is why the Government is taking decisive action today by making new regulations to defend jobs in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ steel industry."