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On July 28 local time, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission updated its Covered List to include foreign-produced advanced robotic devices and connected power inverters. Under the new rules, models that have not yet secured FCC equipment authorization will be barred from the U.S. market, while previously authorized models are not immediately affected. In this situation, what is the impact to the current market players?

[SMM Analysis: South Korea Plans Tighter Copper Scrap Export Declarations—Could Asian Trade Flows Shift?] South Korea plans to require export declarations for ferrous and non-ferrous scrap from 2027. The move targets misdeclaration rather than restricting legal trade. With China, Malaysia and Thailand taking 95.86% of 2025 exports, impacts should be limited for compliant high-grade cargoes but greater for mixed and complex scrap.

Rising compliance costs, a verification bottleneck, and tightening EU import quotas combine to reshape the competitive landscape for Asian stainless steel suppliers in Europe from 2026 onward. The EU CBAM entered its definitive implementation phase on January 1, 2026 — transitioning from a reporting exercise into a mechanism with real trade cost implications.