【SMM Iron & Steel】UK-EU Steel Quota Dispute Escalates, Bilateral Trade Tensions Rise

Published: Jun 5, 2026 16:25

Save

The UK Business Secretary is set to meet the EU Trade Commissioner in Brussels, raising concerns over the EU's plan to cut duty-free steel

import quotas for non-EU countries by 47% from 2024 levels, effective July 1.

The move threatens UK steel exports significantly. Meanwhile, the EU steel association has pushed back against the UK's own quota reductions,

with products including hot-rolled coil, tinplate, and rebar at risk. Both sides are tightening steel trade protections

in response to Chinese competition and global overcapacity, but the quota adjustments risk deepening bilateral trade friction.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

51 mins ago

[SMM Analysis] The supply-demand imbalance of construction steel improved marginally this period

According to SMM statistics, total construction steel inventory this period was 8.3259 million mt, down 217,100 mt MoM (-2.54% MoM), shifting from increase to decline. Both mill inventory and social inventory destocked to varying degrees. Social inventory destocking accelerated notably as arrivals dropped. With the dock closure now lifted, subsequent concentrated arrivals of construction steel may lead to social inventory accumulation.

51 mins ago

57 mins ago

[ Ferriera Valsider Declares Force Majeure Following Unexpected Production Halt ]

Metinvest's Italian subsidiary, Ferriera Valsider, officially declared force majeure in mid-August 2026 after an unforeseeable breakdown forced the complete shutdown of its hot-rolled coil and heavy plate production lines. The company suspended all contractual performance terms, citing an inability to immediately determine the duration of the significant disruption. Technical teams are currently assessing the damaged equipment to establish a reliable repair timeline and restore normal operations.

57 mins ago

1 hour ago

[SMM Analysis] Twin Barriers Force a Trade Reset: A Full Anatomy of the Scramble for the EU's 18.35 Mt Steel Quota

The EU's temporary steel safeguard expired at end-June 2026 and a permanent TRQ took its place — duty-free volume nearly halved to about 18.35 Mt, the out-of-quota duty doubled to 50%, and a first-ever "melt and pour" origin rule. Using the official allocations, this piece breaks the quota down category by category and country by country: HRC alone claims about 5.2 million tonnes, Türkiye takes the largest share, Taiwan, China is squeezed hardest — and CBAM stacks a second barrier on top.

1 hour ago