EU and UK hold steel talks as Trump and China pile on the pressure

THE European Union's ambassador to the UK has defended planned hikes in steel tariffs as officials in Whitehall attempted to limit the potentially catastrophic impact on British workers.

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The European Commission has disclosed plans to impose 50% tariffs on steel, double the current level of 25%, while cutting tariff-free import volumes to 18.3 million tons a year - a 47% reduction.

The EU's ambassador Pedro Serrano said official-level contacts had already been made between Whitehall and Brussels about the proposals but he stressed the need for Brussels to defend the bloc's steel industry.