UK steelmakers call for EU action over Chinese dumping of imports
British firms urge minister to seek EU intervention in emergency meetings
British steelmakers called for business minister Sajid Javid to insist on immediate action against Chinese steel "dumping" at meetings scheduled with European Union economy and industry ministers in Brussels on Monday.
Britain requested the emergency meeting after nearly 4,000 steel jobs - about a fifth of the sector's workforce - were lost or put at risk in October, with steelmakers and unions pinning much of the blame on China.
"The US and other countries have already moved to prevent cheap Chinese imports distorting their markets and now the EU must do the same and, do so quickly … if we're to prevent large scale problems for steelmakers spreading," said Gareth Stace, director of UK Steel, an industry lobby.
China makes nearly half the world's 1.6 billion tonnes of steel. It is expected to export a record 100 million tonnes of steel to world markets this year to help address its excess capacity - estimated at 300 million tonnes.
The issue made national headlines during President Xi Jinping's state visit to Britain last month, putting the government under pressure.
As a result, it promised last week to start refunding the cost of green taxes which push up energy prices for steel manufacturers as soon as the European Union grants state aid approval.
