Notice

Trade remedies notice 2025/12: safeguard measure: tariff-rate quota on steel goods

Updated 30 June 2025

© Crown copyright 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/trade-remedies-notices-tariff-rate-quotas-on-steel-goods/trade-remedies-notice-202512-safeguard-measure-tariff-rate-quota-on-steel-goods

This notice was published on 30 June 2025, coming into effect the next day.

This public notice is published by the Secretary of State under subsection 13(4) and sub-paragraph 21(7) of Schedule 5 to the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018.[footnote 1] The application of the safeguard measure will continue to be suspended with respect to goods originating in Ukraine, as originally implemented by trade remedies notice 2024/06.

Summary of the safeguard measure tariff-rate quota review

The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) initiated the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) review on 28 February 2025 of its own initiative, in accordance with regulation 35B(5)(2)(a) of The Trade Remedies (Increase in Imports Causing Serious Injury to UK Producers) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (the Regulations).

On 26 March 2025, the TRA  expanded the scope of the TRQ review following an application by UK industry. The TRA assessed that there may have been a change of circumstances with respect to the exhaustion of the residual quota in certain product categories, and a change in demand for steel since the application of the relevant tariff-rate quota. The TRA determined that these claims could most effectively be assessed by incorporating these matters within the existing TRQ review.

The period of investigation for the extension review was January 2024 to 31 December 2024. The TRA received submissions from interested parties and used submitted data as part of its evidence base upon which it made its assessments and formed its conclusions. The TRA compared submitted evidence against the totality of relevant evidence available to it and used submitted data to corroborate or gain a level of assurance as to that data itself, or other evidence either submitted to the TRA or information gathered by the TRA.

The TRA considered matters relevant to each of the 14 product categories, before undertaking assessments on a product category-by-product category basis.

The TRA’s recommendation

The TRA’s recommendation was that the allocation of the tariff-rate quotas should be varied. Specifically, the TRA recommended that:

  • unused quotas should no longer be made available in the following quarter (removal of carry-over facility)
  • countries with country-specific quotas should no longer have access to the residual quota in the final quarter
  • country-specific caps should be imposed on the residual quotas in these categories from 1 October 2025:
    • category 4: 40%
    • category 7: 40%
    • category 13: 40%
  • the developing country non-exceptions list should be updated in line with Article 9.1 of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Safeguards

Reasons for the TRA’s recommendation

The TRA has made this recommendation as a result of the change of circumstances since the application of the relevant tariff-rate quota, which resulted from all of these:

  • a change to the import share of a developing country
  • the fact that the tariff-rate quota, or any part of the quota, has been exhausted
  • a change in demand for the relevant goods

In addition the TRA made its recommendation following the consideration of the facts which are set out in the final recommendation and further evidence on the public file for case TQ0066.

Summary of the Secretary of State’s decision

The Secretary of State assessed that it was in the UK’s public interest to reject the TRA’s recommendation, in accordance with regulation 38(2) of the Regulations, and take a different decision, in accordance with regulation 38(2C) of the Regulations.

The Secretary of State decided to:

  • increase the overall volume of each of the TRQs associated with the 14 product categories by 0.1% (instead of 3%) from 1 July 2025
  • apply a 15% cap in the residual quota of category 4 and a 20% cap in the residual quotas of categories 7 and 13 to ensure that UK imports from exporting countries are more closely aligned with traditional trade flows, effective from 1 July 2025

The Secretary of State also decided to amend the allocation of the TRQs in line with the recommendation of the TRA: 

  • prevent any unused quarterly quotas from being made available in the following quarter

  • prevent WTO Members with a country-specific quota from being able to access the residual quota in the final quarter of the safeguard year (1 April 2026 - 30 June 2026)

  • update developing country exemptions based on UK import data for the period 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024 and in line with the WTO Agreement on Safeguards

Reasons for the Secretary of State’s decision

The Secretary of State considered the evidence contained within the recommendation and wider matters in the public interest, including the UK’s obligations under the WTO Agreement on Safeguards. The decision was taken to ensure the overall effectiveness of the UK’s steel safeguard measure for domestic producers while balancing the need for security of supply for the UK market in line with traditional trade flows.

Description of the goods to which this notice relates

The tariff-rate quota set out in this notice applies to the following steel products (‘steel goods’).

Product number 1A and 1B: non-alloy and other alloy hot-rolled sheet and strip

Commodity codes are:

  • 72081000
  • 72082500
  • 72082600
  • 72082700
  • 72083600
  • 72083700
  • 72083800
  • 72083900
  • 72084000
  • 72085210
  • 72085299
  • 72085310
  • 72085390
  • 72085400
  • 72111300
  • 72111400
  • 72111900
  • 72126000
  • 72251910
  • 72253010
  • 72253030
  • 72253090
  • 72254015
  • 72254090
  • 72261910
  • 72269120
  • 72269191
  • 72269199

Product number 4: metallic coated sheet

Commodity codes are:

  • 72102000
  • 72104100
  • 72104900
  • 72106100
  • 7210690020
  • 7210690080
  • 72109080
  • 72122000
  • 72123000
  • 72125020
  • 72125030
  • 72125040
  • 72125061
  • 72125069
  • 72125090
  • 72259100
  • 72259200
  • 72259900
  • 72269910
  • 72269930
  • 72269970

Product number 5: organic coated sheet

Commodity codes are:

  • 72107080
  • 72124080

Product number 6: tin mill products

Commodity codes are:

  • 72091899
  • 72105000
  • 72121090
  • 72101100
  • 72107010
  • 72124020
  • 72101220
  • 72109040
  • 72101280
  • 72121010

Product number 7: non-alloy and other alloy quarto plates

Commodity codes are:

  • 72085120
  • 72089020
  • 72254040
  • 72085191
  • 72089080
  • 72254060
  • 72085198
  • 72109030
  • 72085291
  • 72254012

Product number 12A: alloy merchant bars and light sections

Commodity codes are:

  • 72283020
  • 72283041
  • 72283061
  • 72283069
  • 72283070
  • 72283089
  • 72286020
  • 72287010

Product number 12B: non-alloy merchant bars and light sections

Commodity codes are:

  • 72143000
  • 72149110
  • 72149190
  • 72149931
  • 72149939
  • 72149950
  • 72149971
  • 72149979
  • 72149995
  • 72159000
  • 72161000
  • 72162100
  • 72162200
  • 72164010
  • 72164090
  • 72165010
  • 72165091
  • 72165099
  • 72169900

Product number 13: rebar

Commodity codes are:

  • 72142000
  • 72149910

Product number 16: non-alloy and other alloy wire rod

Commodity codes are:

  • 72131000
  • 72139149
  • 72271000
  • 72132000
  • 72139170
  • 72272000
  • 72139110
  • 72139190
  • 72279010
  • 72139120
  • 72139910
  • 72279050
  • 72139141
  • 72139990
  • 72279095

Product number 17: angles, shapes, and sections of iron or non-alloy steel

Commodity codes are:

  • 72163110
  • 72163219
  • 72163310
  • 72163190
  • 72163291
  • 72163390
  • 72163211
  • 72163299

Product number 19: railway material

Commodity codes are:

  • 73021022
  • 73021028
  • 73021050

Product number 20: gas pipe

Commodity codes are:

  • 73063041
  • 73063049
  • 73063072
  • 73063077

Product number 21: hollow section

Commodity codes are:

  • 73066110
  • 73066192
  • 73066199

Product number 25A: large welded tube (1)

Commodity codes are:

  • 73051100
  • 73051200

Product number 25B: large welded tube (2)

Commodity codes are:

  • 73051900
  • 73052000
  • 73053100
  • 73053900
  • 73059000

Product number 26: other welded tube

Commodity codes are:

  • 73061100
  • 73061900
  • 73062100
  • 73062900
  • 73063012
  • 73063018
  • 73063080
  • 73064020
  • 73064080
  • 73065021
  • 73065029
  • 73065080
  • 73066910
  • 73066990
  • 73069000

Duty amount

The additional amount of duty (‘safeguard duty’) applicable to steel goods imported outside of the quota is 25% ad valorem.

The safeguard duty is applicable to the net free-at-the-frontier price of the good (before any other amount of import duty).

Duration

The tariff-rate quota applies from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

Quota amount and allocation

The quota is divided into 4 quarters over one year and specifies for each goods category the amount of steel goods that may be imported free of safeguard duty in any given quarter.

Change to the access to unused quota in the next quarter

Any unused balance will no longer accumulate throughout the year. Any unused quota allocated for steel goods originating in a country or territory will no longer be available in the next quarter for steel goods originating in that country or territory.

Change to the open access to unused quota in quarter 4 of each year

Importers of steel goods originating in a country or territory with an exhausted quota allocation for the year can no longer apply for the right to use any remaining quota allocated for steel goods originating in all other countries or territories, in quarter 4.

Right to access quota

The right to access the quota is granted by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to importers in the United Kingdom on a first-come, first-served basis.

Importers are asked to cite the relevant order number set out in the annex or as otherwise specified on the online tariff tool when applying to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs to access a particular quota.

The rules relating to the right to access the category 1A and 1B quotas continues to apply as described in trade remedies notice 2024/08.

Quota amount and allocation for year 8

The year 8 quarters are:

  • quarter 1: 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025
  • quarter 2: 1 October 2025 to 31 December 2025
  • quarter 3: 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026
  • quarter 4: 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2026

The allocations made in this notice supersede the allocations for year 8 in trade remedies notice 2024/06 and trade remedies notice 2024/08.

The application of the safeguard measure will continue to be suspended from 1 July 2024 until 30 June 2026 with respect to goods originating in Ukraine.

Category 4, 7 and 13 Residual Quota Country Caps

Category 4 Residual Quota Country Cap

The right to access the category 4 residual quota is administered by HMRC to importers in the United Kingdom on a first-come, first-served basis. The category 4 residual quota will continue to be allocated as a single quota, however, with a 15% cap on exports per quarter for any individual country or territory. Once the overall residual allocation is exhausted, the out-of-quota 25% duty will apply to all imports, regardless of whether a country or territory’s total quarter cap allocation has been reached. Once a country or territory’s total quarter cap allocation has been reached, the out-of-quota 25% duty will apply to all imports from that country or territory, regardless of whether the overall residual quota allocation limit has been reached.

More information on how to access the quota can be found in the footnotes attached to the measure on the online tariff tool.

Category 7 and 13 Residual Quota Country Caps

The right to access the category 7 and 13 residual quotas is administered by HMRC to importers in the United Kingdom on a first-come, first-served basis. The category 7 and 13 residual quotas will continue to be allocated as a single quota, however, with a 20% cap on exports per quarter for any individual country or territory. Once the overall residual allocation is exhausted, the out-of-quota 25% duty will apply to all imports, regardless of whether a country or territory’s total quarter cap allocation has been reached. Once a country or territory’s total quarter cap allocation has been reached, the out-of-quota 25% duty will apply to all imports from that country or territory, regardless of whether the overall residual quota allocation limit has been reached.

More information on how to access the quota can be found in the footnotes attached to the measure on the online tariff tool.

Table 1: year 8 quota amount and allocation by country and territory from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026

Product category Country or territory Quarter 1 (in tonnes) Quarter 2 (in tonnes) Quarter 3 (in tonnes) Quarter 4 (in tonnes)
1A EU 187,671 187,671 183,592 185,631
1A Turkey 24,641 24,641 24,105 24,373
1A Taiwan 13,718 13,718 13,420 13,570
1A Residual 23,611 23,611 23,097 23,354
1B Total global quota 579,166 579,166 566,579 572,874
1B Global - 40% cap for any individual exporting country 231,666 231,666 226,631 229,150
4 EU 324,154 324,154 317,107 320,630
4 Taiwan 33,513 33,513 32,785 33,149
4 India 24,752 24,752 24,213 24,482
4 Residual 85,595 85,595 83,735 84,665
4 Residual 15% cap for any individual exporting country 12,839 12,839 12,560 12,700
5 EU 36,684 36,684 35,886 36,284
5 South Korea 14,907 14,907 14,583 14,745
5 Residual 2,228 2,228 2,180 2,204
6 EU 31,986 31,986 31,290 31,638
6 China 8,121 8,121 7,944 8,032
6 Taiwan 2,652 2,652 2,595 2,623
6 South Korea 2,518 2,518 2,462 2,489
6 Residual 1,085 1,085 1,062 1,073
7 EU 71,178 71,178 69,631 70,404
7 Residual 25,401 25,401 24,849 25,125
7 Residual 20% cap for any individual exporting country 5,080 5,080 4,970 5,025
12A EU 29,517 29,517 28,876 29,197
12A Residual 4,246 4,246 4,153 4,200
12B EU 35,458 35,458 34,688 35,073
12B Turkey 13,346 13,346 13,056 13,201
12B Residual 7,585 7,585 7,419 7,501
13 EU 74,521 74,521 72,902 73,712
13 Turkey 35,304 35,304 34,538 34,921
13 Residual 24,037 24,037 23,514 23,776
13 Residual 20% cap for any individual exporting country 4,807 4,807 4,703 4,755
16 EU 75,021 75,021 73,389 74,205
16 Residual 3,275 3,275 3,204 3,240
17 EU 170,816 170,816 167,102 168,959
17 Residual 17,753 17,753 17,366 17,560
19 EU 4,797 4,797 4,693 4,745
19 Residual 141 141 138 139
20 EU 7,079 7,079 6,925 7,002
20 India 3,640 3,640 3,561 3,600
20 Turkey 15,728 15,728 15,386 15,558
20 Residual 740 740 724 732
21 EU 11,332 11,332 11,086 11,209
21 Turkey 37,335 37,335 36,524 36,930
21 Residual 3,445 3,445 3,370 3,407
25A EU 6,333 6,333 6,195 6,264
25A South Korea 1,265 1,265 1,237 1,251
25A Japan 8,276 8,276 8,097 8,186
25A Residual 2,232 2,232 2,184 2,208
25B EU 16,290 16,290 15,936 16,113
25B Japan 2,051 2,051 2,007 2,029
25B South Korea 4,682 4,682 4,580 4,631
25B Residual 4,938 4,938 4,831 4,885
26 EU 22,820 22,820 22,323 22,572
26 Turkey 11,140 11,140 10,898 11,019
26 China 5,860 5,860 5,733 5,797
26 UAE 15,335 15,335 15,002 15,169
26 Residual 10,118 10,118 9,898 10,008

Goods excluded

Exclusion for steel goods originating in signatory countries or territories.

All steel goods originating in a signatory country or territory specified are excluded from the:

  • quota amount allocated for all other countries or territories
  • application of the safeguard duty

Signatory countries or territories

The signatory countries or territories are:

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bahamas
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Jamaica
  • Kenya
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Suriname
  • Trinidad and Tobago

Limited exclusion for steel goods originating in developing countries or territories.

Except for steel goods in a goods category originating in a developing country or territory annotated with that goods category, any steel goods originating in a developing country or territory specified below are excluded from the:

  • quota amount allocated for all other countries or territories
  • application of the safeguard duty

Developing countries or territories

The developing countries or territories are:

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Angola
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bolivia
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cape Verde
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China (categories: 6^^, 25[a]++, 25[b]++, 26^^)
  • Colombia
  • Congo
  • Costa Rica
  • Côte d’Ivoire
  • Cuba
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt (categories: 13++)
  • El Salvador
  • Eswatini
  • Fiji
  • Gabon
  • The Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Ghana
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong
  • India (Category: 1[a]++, 1[b]++, 4^^, 20^^, 26++)
  • Indonesia
  • Jamaica
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Macao
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Moldova
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar (Burma)
  • Namibia
  • Nepal
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • North Macedonia
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Qatar
  • Rwanda
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Suriname
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey (categories: 1[a]^^, 1[b]++, 12[b]^^ 13^^, 16++, 17++, 20^^, 21^^, 26^^)
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates (categories: 21++, 26^^)
  • Uruguay
  • Vanuatu
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam (categories: 1[a]++, 1[b]++, 4++)
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Key:

^^ denotes a quota amount for the goods category is allocated for the country or territory

++ denotes the quota amount for the goods category allocated to all other countries or territories is available for the country or territory.

Annex Table 1: order numbers for importers to access the tariff-rate quota on steel goods

Goods category Origin country or territory Order number
A [1a] European Union 58001
A [1a] Turkey 58967
A [1a] Taiwan 58085
A [1a] All others 58002
A [1b] Global See online tariff tool
C [4] European Union 58006
C [4] Taiwan 58088
C [4] India 58106
C [4] All others See online tariff tool
D [5] European Union 58010
D [5] South Korea 58827
D [5] All others 58011
L [6] European Union 58012
L [6] China 58831
L [6] Taiwan 58098
L [6] South Korea 58097
L [6] All others 58013
M [7] European Union 58014
M [7] All others See online tariff tool
N[12][a] European Union 58100
N[12][a] All others 58102
N[12][b] European Union 58103
N[12][b] Turkey 58104
N[12][b] All others 58105
E [13] European Union 58018
E [13] Turkey 58866
E [13] All others See online tariff tool
O [16] European Union 58026
O [16] All others 58027
P [17] European Union 58028
P [17] All others 58029
F [19] European Union 58030
F [19] All others 58031
G [20] European Union 58032
G [20] Turkey 58911
G [20] India 58912
G [20] All others 58033
H [21] European Union 58034
H [21] Turkey 58916
H [21] All others 58035
I [25][a] European Union 58091
I [25][a] South Korea 58095
I [25][a] Japan 58108
I [25][a] All others 58036
J [25][b] European Union 58037
J [25][b] South Korea 58974
J [25][b] Japan 58109
J [25][b] All others 58038
K [26] European Union 58039
K [26] United Arab Emirates 58948
K [26] Turkey 58947
K [26] China 58949
K [26] All others 58041

  1. In connection with paragraph (6)(a)(ii) of paragraph 21 of Schedule 5 to the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018, regulation 38(2C) of the Trade Remedies (Increase in Imports Causing Serious Injury to UK Producers) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, and paragraph 10(f)(i) of the Schedule to the Trade Remedies (Increase in Imports Causing Serious Injury to UK Producers) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. ↩

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