Argentina will be able to export steel to the European Union without the need to pay tariffs, says the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement monitored by Kallanish. The South American country was excluded from the definitive safeguard measures on imports of steel products imposed by the European Commission on 1 February.

"Our Government worked from the first day so that Argentine companies can compete in the best possible conditions,” says Argentinian foreign affairs minister Jorge Faurie. “In this context, this is an achievement of singular importance.”

Argentina mainly exports cold rolled sheet, coated coil and seamless tubes to the EU. Their combined sales reached €188 million ($215.2m) in the period 2012-2017, according to the ministry.

The EC imposed its definitive safeguard measures on imports of steel products into the EU effective 2 February. These have been introduced as part of the response to the US Section 232 tariffs introduced in March 2018 and the resultant diversion of trade flows into the EU (see Kallanish 4 February).