The European Parliament on Tuesday adopted stricter rules to protect the bloc's steel industry from cheap competition from countries such as China.
A majority of MEPs voted in Strasbourg to allow significantly less steel to be imported into the EU duty-free, with any imports exceeding this limit subject to a higher punitive tariff than before.
The new rules had previously been negotiated with the member states, with the vote marking the formal adoption of the compromise deal.
Cheap steel imported particularly from China, India and Turkey is causing problems for European manufacturers. With the new rules, the EU aims to protect the European market from global overproduction and safeguard jobs.
The current regulations expire on June 30. Under the new rules, the duty-free import quota will be capped at 18.3 million metric tons per year, around 47% less than before. Quantities exceeding this limit will be subject to a punitive tariff of 50%, double the previous rate.
For the new rules to come into force, the member states must still give their formal approval.
