Source: Mysteel
The European Union has initiated a sunset review of the anti-dumping duties currently in force on cold-rolled stainless steel imports from India and Indonesia. The review, announced on September 24, 2026, will determine whether the existing measures should be extended for another five-year period or allowed to expire.
Under EU trade defense procedures, anti-dumping duties are typically imposed for a maximum of five years and are subject to a sunset review upon expiry. The review process assesses whether the removal of the measures would be likely to lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping and injury to the European stainless steel industry. The investigation can take up to 15 months to complete, during which the existing duties remain in effect.
Cold-rolled stainless steel is a value-added flat product used extensively in automotive, appliance, construction, and industrial applications. The EU's stainless steel sector has long been a vocal advocate for strong trade defense measures, arguing that unfairly traded imports from Asian producers have undercut domestic prices and eroded market share. The initiation of this sunset review signals that European producers continue to view the measures as essential to maintaining a level playing field.
The review comes at a time of significant regulatory change in the European steel landscape. The European Parliament recently voted to reject a proposed clause that would have allowed temporary suspension of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and instead backed extending CBAM coverage to over 180 additional downstream steel and aluminium-intensive products. These concurrent policy developments are reshaping the competitive dynamics for stainless steel producers and exporters globally.
For Indian and Indonesian stainless steel exporters, the sunset review adds another layer of uncertainty to their EU market access. India in particular is simultaneously navigating the tariff-rate quota framework under the recently published India-EU Free Trade Agreement text, which appears to allocate lower steel quota volumes than previously expected. The combination of anti-dumping measures, CBAM expansion, and evolving FTA quotas is creating a complex and challenging export environment for Asian steel producers seeking access to the European market.
