The European Union plans to reintroduce country-specific quotas for imports of steel product category 17—angles, shapes, and sections of iron or non-alloy steel—starting July 1, 2025. This move follows a notification to the World Trade Organization and aims to address trade imbalances caused by the current global quota system.
Previously, the EU had replaced country-specific quotas with a single global quota after Ukraine halted exports in 2022. However, the 15% cap under the global system reportedly reduced trade volumes for traditional suppliers like TĂĽrkiye, the UK, and Korea.
The proposed regulation would eliminate the 15% cap and reinstate individual quotas for these countries. Additionally, country-specific quota holders will be excluded from accessing the residual quota in the final quarter of the safeguard year. The revised measures are set to remain in effect until June 30, 2026, with a gradual liberalization rate of 0.1% annually.
