The EU will impose safeguard measures to protect its steel market after the US decided to impose tariffs as soon as there is a risk of an import surge, said European Commission spokesman for trade Mr Anthony Gooch.
Previously the commission had said it would impose the measures as soon as it saw an actual rise in imports in the EU.
Mr Gooch said: "For us it is enough to have a risk of a surge of imports in order to be able to introduce safeguard measures. If there is a risk then we can introduce them on a provisional basis."
He also said member states agreed with the commission's analysis of the impact of the US steel imports at their weekly 133 committee which meets to discuss trade issues.
"Member states have done their homework and that seems to confirm our analysis which is that the impact will be quite severe," he said.
AFP