The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), the executive body of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) which includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Armenia, has initiated a special safeguard investigation into tinplate imported into the customs territory of the EAEU.
The investigation was launched following an application submitted by Belarus-based Metal Rolling Company LLC, which was supported by Russia’s Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK). According to the EEC, companies backing the complaint accounted for more than 50 percent of tinplate production in the EAEU during 2023-2025.
Import surge cited as cause of injury
According to the information provided in the application reviewed by the EEC, tinplate imports into the EAEU increased significantly between 2023 and 2025. Total imports rose by 24 percent during the period, including a 54 percent year-on-year jump in 2025 compared to 2024. During the same period, the share of imports in EAEU tinplate consumption increased by 27 percent, including a 49 percent increase in 2025 compared with 2024.
At the same time, the ratio of imports to domestic production in 2025 rose by more than 40 percent compared with 2023 and more than 70 percent compared with 2024, according to the notification. Meanwhile, the weighted-average import price fell by 12 percent compared with 2023 and by two percent compared with 2024, becoming significantly lower than the average price of domestically produced tinplate. The EEC stated that increased imports at lower prices prevented domestic producers from raising prices in line with higher production costs, resulting in a deterioration of their financial performance.
The product in question is classified under EAEU foreign economic activity code 7210 12 200 0 and is commonly referred to as white tinplate.
