On 19 December 2024, the Commission initiated a safeguard investigation concerning imports of manganese and silicon-based alloying elements (1).

Under Article 6(3) of Regulation (EU) 2015/478 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) on common rules for imports (the ‘Basic Safeguard Regulation’), such investigation shall be concluded no later than 9 months from the initiation of the investigation. This time limit may, however, be extended by a maximum period of 2 months in exceptional circumstances. If this is the case, the Commission shall publish a notice setting forth the duration of the extension and a summary of the reasons thereof.

Accordingly, the Commission hereby informs that the investigation will be extended by a maximum period of 2 months, as envisaged in Article 6(3) of the Basic Safeguard Regulation, for the following reasons.

The facts of the case, in particular the structure of the EU industry and the nature of the product concerned, require a complex economic and legal analysis, including a proper balancing of all the relevant elements concerning the Union interest.

It is therefore considered that the above situation qualifies as exceptional circumstances and justifies extending the duration of the investigation beyond 9 months.

As a result, should definitive measures be adopted, the Commission would publish an Implementing Regulation by 18 November 2025 at the latest.

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(1)  Notice of initiation of a safeguard investigation concerning imports of manganese and silicon-based alloying elements (OJ C, C/2024/7541, 19.12.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/7541/oj).

(2)  Regulation (EU) 2015/478 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2015 on common rules for imports (OJ L 83, 27.3.2015, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2015/478/oj).