EC MINISTERS CONSIDER CUTBACKS IN STEEL SUPPORT A new steel quota system that would strictly limit European Community (EC) support to the industry could be forced on producers if they fail to find their own solution quickly, officials said. EC industry ministers meeting here considered two key proposals aimed at cutting back surplus capacity by 30 mln tonnes by 1990. The first would limit the current quota system, which has protected EC output for seven years, only to flat products and heavy sections, thereby forcing other types of steel products into free market competition. The second proposal would link continuation of a quota system with progress toward plant closures, although less than a month ago the EC steelmakers' lobby group Eurofer said they had abandoned efforts to close plants voluntarily. The ministers stopped short of imposing their own solution immediately, instead urging steel producers to try again to reach agreement on voluntary cutbacks. The EC Commission has said it will come up with detailed proposals in July on the future of the EC steel industry and EC industry ministers meet again in September to reach a final decision.