Boost for UK steel as deal with EU protects it from tariffs

BRITISH STEEL'S RECRUITMENT DAY WAS ALSO A SUCCESS

- By IVAN MORRIS POXTON

BRITISH steel exports will be protected from EU tariffs under the newly announced UK-EU deal.

The agreement on steel will save UK steel £25m a year. The EU is the UK steel’s largest export market - accounting for approximately 75 per cent, worth nearly £3bn.

The director-general of UK Steel, the trade body that represents the industry that employs almost 37,000 people directly, has described it as “a significant step” in reducing trade frictions with the EU on steel.

It comes as British Steel held a recruitment event on Saturday, May 17, in Scunthorpe that saw 450 attendees.

The company, which remains owned by Jingye Group but directed by the British Government, is recruiting for 180 new roles. 165 of the new posts are Scunthorpe-based.

The UK-EU deal announced yesterday covers a number of areas, including security, fishing, food, and a possible youth mobility scheme in future.