European wire rod processors are demanding an increase in the EU's safeguard quota for imports of the material, the European Non-Integrated Wire Rod Processors Association (Eunirpa) said on Tuesday July 9.
"We urgently call on the policymakers to support the repeal of the safeguard measures imposed on wire rod, or at the very least to adjust significantly upward the level of the current quotas," Eunirpa said."At a minimum, the quota for product category 16 [wire rod] should represent the yearly average of the volume of imports of wire rod in 2016-18, rather than 2015-17, [and should be] increased by 20% [each year], rather than 5%," it added.The group also said that its members were concerned that larger processors in Europe may be reducing the commercial viability of the smaller independent processors that comprise Eunirpa's membership.EU wire...