{
  "id": 10637962,
  "title": "Ukraine: Ein Stahlunternehmer aus dem Frontgebiet kämpft gegen die EU-Zölle",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/ukraine-ein-stahlunternehmer-aus-dem-frontgebiet-kampft-gegen-die-eu",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-29T07:34:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/ukraine-ein-stahlunternehmer-aus-dem-frontgebiet-kaempft-gegen-die-eu-zoelle/100256553.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Juri Atanasow, a Ukrainian entrepreneur operating near the front lines, has been fighting against EU tariffs for over four and a half years. Centravis, his steel pipe manufacturing plant, is located in Nikopol, just six kilometers from Russian-occupied territory. The factory constantly faces attacks from artillery shells and drones, with ballistic missiles having left it unharmed so far. Atanasow explains that 90% of their production continues in Nikopol, but they are spending money on unnecessary safety measures. To counter these threats, he built a second factory in Ushgorod on the Slovak border. However, a new challenge arose when the EU imposed high protective tariffs of 50% on steel imports in July. As 75% of Centravis exports go to the EU, this regulation heavily impacts the company. Atanasow fears that his business model is in danger as he has exported to Europe for 25 years, including major clients like Volkswagen, Audi, and BMW. He invested millions to bring the factory up to EU standards. The new EU tariffs are seen as a shock, especially since Ukraine was previously exempt from all protection measures during the Russian invasion in 2022. The EU Commission granted Centravis a duty-free quota of 6,500 tons per year, based on average imports from 2022 to 2024, despite the war years seeing a significant drop in production. Atanasow believes this is unfair as the commission should have used pre-war averages. The commission explicitly allows considering the situation of a country with extraordinary security conditions when deciding on country-specific allocations. However, the EU does not intend to make any exceptions for Ukraine, as other partners are also lobbying against the current regulation. The EU has achieved a full success, with the steel industry again fully loaded and investing in Europe. This success should not be immediately jeopardized by lifting the protective tariffs, as the EU steel industry is now back on track.",
  "summary": "Der Stahlröhrenhersteller Centravis beliefert deutsche Autobauer – trotz Drohnenangriffen. Weil ihn neue EU-Zölle treffen, übt er harsche Kritik. Doch die EU priorisiert ein anderes Land.",
  "key_points": [
    "Juri Atanasow, Ukrainian entrepreneur, fights EU tariffs for over four years.",
    "Centravis steel plant in Nikopol faces constant artillery and drone attacks.",
    "EU imposed 50% protective tariffs on steel imports in July, impacting Centravis."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}