The EU is the UK’s most important overseas market for steel, representing 78% of exports.
The European Commission is under pressure from some member states struggling to compete with cheap imports from countries such as China and Turkey.
It proposes reducing tariff-free quotas for imports by 47% from 2024 levels.
The new measures are due to come into force early next year, but first need approval by the majority of EU member states and the European Parliament.
Mr Nair told Thursday’s session of the Welsh Parliament’s Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee: “The trade situation is becoming more and more difficult and things are moving pretty fast.
“So one of the expectations is we need to bring pace into it.
“But I’m reasonably confident, with the discussions that we’re having, that the government will also look to do things very similar to what the EU has done.”
This meant, he said, “on the one hand” protecting the domestic steel market, but also working with the EU to secure some preferential treatment and concessions.
This was to “make sure that we have the right trading interests between the two blocs, because EU also is a significant exporter into the UK”, he said.
“So it’s in our interests to find the right place for EU and UK to do business, especially in steel.”