EU's permanent steel safeguard takes hold: 50% out-of-quota duty, quotas cut 47%

Published: Jul 22, 2026 15:11 (GMT+8)

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The EU's new permanent steel measure (Regulation 2026/1384) entered into force on 1 July 2026, replacing the 2018 safeguard with an indefinite regime. The out-of-quota duty rose to 50% ad valorem from 25% and stacks on top of any existing antidumping or countervailing duties. Duty-free tariff-rate quotas were cut to about 18.3 million tonnes annually—roughly 47% below 2024 levels. From 1 October 2026, importers must provide "melt and pour" evidence identifying where raw steel was first produced in liquid form. European suppliers withdrew offers after the late-June country-quota publication, and the Fastmarkets HRC index for Northern Europe rose about €9/t to €690.94/t on 2 July. The regime is a structural reset for ex-China exporters into the EU; the enforcement date (1 July) sits just outside the strict 7-day window but remains the dominant trade backdrop this month.

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