The European Union has introduced the details of its new steel import regulations, including quota volumes, and made some changes regarding the implementation of the measures. The new regulation is aimed at addressing the negative trade-related effects of global overcapacity on the EU steel market, replacing the existing safeguard measures set to expire in June 2026 and set to enter into force on July 1, 2026. Although quota volumes for product categories have been announced, country-specific quota allocations have not yet been determined.
Total quota set at 18.35 million mt and 50 percent tariff introduced
The regulation sets the total annual tariff-rate quota at 18,345,922 mt, while imports within the quota will remain duty-free, while volumes exceeding the quota will be subject to a 50 percent tariff, a sharp increase compared to the previous 25 percent safeguard duty, as SteelOrbis previously reported.
This measure applies broadly to all third countries, including those with free trade agreements or preferential access, reinforcing the EU’s efforts to prevent trade diversion and protect domestic producers. However, imports originating from Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are excluded from the scope of the measure.
The European Commission also retains the authority to expand the scope to include downstream steel products in future reviews.
Quarterly quota management and flexibility mechanisms
The tariff-rate quotas will be administered on a quarterly basis, aiming to prevent import surges within short periods. During the first year of implementation, unused quotas will be carried over to subsequent quarters. However, the commission may later adjust this rule depending on market conditions, including import pressure and supply shortages.
Future reviews
The European Commission will:
- review the product scope regularly,
- assess the effectiveness of the measure every three years,
- potentially adjust quota volumes within a range of 14.4-22.2 million mt depending on market developments.
Annual volumes of tariff rate quotas for some steel products are listed below.
| Product category | Annual TRQ volume allocated (mt) |
| HRC | 5,198,712 |
| Metallic coated sheets (4A) | 1,620,686 |
| Metallic coated sheets (4B) | 1,238,995 |
| Organic coated sheets | 627,871 |
| Merchant bars and light sections | 881,735 |
| Rebars | 844,526 |
| Wire rod | 1,569,532 |
| Hollow sections | 499,493 |
| Large welded tubes (25A) | 28,749 |
| Large welded tubes (25B) | 83,616 |
EU to fully phase out Russian steel imports by 2028
In a joint statement, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission underlined that the EU has taken unprecedented steps since the start of the war in Ukraine to reduce its economic dependence on Russia and prevent its economic activity from supporting Russia’s war efforts.
However, the institutions acknowledged that some dependencies still remain, particularly for certain steel products that are not yet fully restricted. Limited volumes of Russian steel imports are therefore still permitted under transitional arrangements until September 30, 2028, with quotas that decrease annually. The EU confirmed that these measures are designed to ensure a complete phase-out of remaining Russian steel imports, especially steel slabs, by the 2028 deadline.