歐洲鋼鐵業擬收緊進口管控 Europe poised to act over steel imports

Europe’s steel industry is pushing for tough action against Chinese imports and a relaxation of environmental rules ahead of a high-level summit in Brussels about the sector’s future.

歐洲鋼鐵行業正推動針對從中國進口採取嚴厲行動，並放鬆環境規則。圍繞該行業未來的一場高層峯會即將在布魯塞爾舉行。

Ministers from EU member states will meet this afternoon to discuss the dire situation facing the continent’s steelmakers, underlined by a spate of plant closures in the UK, as well as ways to improve competitiveness.

歐盟(EU)各成員國的部長級官員將於今日下午開會，討論歐洲鋼鐵生產商面臨的嚴峻形勢（英國的鋼鐵廠接二連三地倒閉凸顯了這一點），以及增強競爭力的各種方式。

Industry representatives have called for “immediate” measures against what they perceive as unfairly traded steel products, particularly from China, which they say are driving down prices. This has piled pressure on companies in Europe, where demand for steel is still 25 per cent below pre-crisis levels.

業界代表呼籲，“立即”針對在他們看來屬於不公平貿易的鋼產品採取行動，尤其是來自中國的鋼產品。代表們表示，這些產品正在壓低價格。這給歐洲鋼鐵公司施加了巨大壓力，目前歐洲對鋼鐵的需求依然比危機前的水平低25%。

Axel Eggert, director general of Eurofer, the European steel association, said: “If this situation continues we will see more closures. We have modest steel demand growth in the EU but it is being taken almost entirely by imports. We need a level playing field with our global competitors. [The EU] should consider using all the trade tools it has available”.

歐洲鋼鐵聯盟(Eurofer)總幹事阿克塞爾埃格特(Axel Eggert)表示：“如果這種情況持續下去，我們會看到更多工廠倒閉。歐洲的鋼材需求正在溫和增長，但新增需求幾乎全被進口占據了。我們需要與我們的全球競爭者享有公平的競爭環境。（歐盟）應該考慮使用一切可用的貿易工具。”