30 June 2026: expiry of steel tariff quotas
In the near future on 30 June 2026, the European Union's steel safeguard measures are coming to an end. Set up in 2018 to cope with a sharp increase in imports, they aimed to protect European industry in compliance with international trade rules.
In concrete terms, the European Union has introduced a quota system: any volume of steel imported beyond the authorised quota is subject to a duty of 25%. This mechanism is governed by the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Safeguards and implemented through the EU TARIC.
But these measures are temporary: their duration cannot exceed eight years. After several extensions, the current system will reach its limit on 30 June 2026 and end in its present form.
The European Union will not be able to renew this system as it stands, but will continue to use other instruments authorised by the World Trade Organisation, such as anti-dumping or anti-subsidy measures, to regulate imports.
This deadline marks a turning point, as Europe now needs to continue to protect its industry while respecting its international commitments.
For importers and exporters, this means that they must now anticipate the end of quotas, re-evaluate supply strategies and remain attentive to the evolution of anti-dumping measures which could apply from mid-2026 onwards.