The EU moved Tuesday to double tariffs on foreign steel -- taking a leaf from US President Donald Trump's book to shield the bloc's struggling industry from a flood of cheap Chinese exports.

Urged to act fast to rescue European steel from decline, the EU executive proposed hiking levies on steel imports to 50 percent, and slashing the volume allowed in before tariffs apply by 47 percent.

Last year alone, "18,000 direct jobs were cut in the steel industry -- that's too many and it had to stop", EU industry chief Stephane Sejourne said as he unveiled the plans alongside trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic.

The EU strategy mirrors the one embraced by Trump, who imposed 50-percent tariffs to keep out cheap metals from China, producer of more than half the world's steel. Canada has taken simil

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