THE European Union has acted to impose import tariffs on a flood of cheap steel from countries hit by US tariffs.

The EU is imposing import taxes of up to 26 per cent on countrie that have been dumping steel on the European market as a result of the US protective measures.

The tariffs were formally approved yesterday by the EU's executive commission.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar praised the EU.

He said: "There was a grave danger that the EU and the UK could have suffered from dumping from other steel producers as a result of the foolish and isolationist action taken by the US."