The European Commission has expanded the product range covered by residual tariff-rate quota (TRQ) caps to 16 categories, up from just two previously – hot rolled coil and wire rod, Kallanish notes.
The Commission has reduced the cap on HRC from 15% to 13%, while the wire rod cap remains at 15%.
These limits, which restrict the maximum volume a single country can supply to the EU under the residual TRQ, aim to help existing suppliers maintain historical trade flows, while ensuring supply stability from countries at risk of being crowded out, according to the Commission.
The updated rules will take effect on 1 April.
EU “other country” residual safeguard quotas
| Product category | Other country TRQ 1.4-30.6 (tonnes) | Cap % | Cap (tonnes) | Specific “other country” from 1.7 to 30.6 |
| 1A – HRC | 856,770 | 13 | 111,380 | Egypt, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Switzerland, United States, Libya, Canada |
| 2 – CRC | 334,370 | 13 | 43,468 | Türkiye, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan |
| 16 – Wire Rod | 100,499 | 15 | 15,075 | Malaysia, Algeria, Egypt, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Serbia |
| 17 – Angles, shapes, sections | 67,480 | 15 | 10,122 | Türkiye, United Kingdom |
| 4B – Metallic coated | 104,779 | 20 | 20,956 | Türkiye, Vietnam, Japan (also China, Korea, India, United Kingdom if they exhaust their specific quota) |
| 6 – Tin mill products | 37,107 | 20 | 7,421 | India, Türkiye |
| 7 – Quarto plates | 550,190 | 20 | 110,038 | India, Indonesia, Korea |
| 13 – Rebars | 137,841 | 20 | 27,568 | Algeria, Egypt |
| 4A – Metallic coated | 472,050 | 25 | 118,012 | Türkiye, Vietnam, Taiwan |
| 5 – Organic coated | 42,861 | 25 | 10,715 | Vietnam |
| 14 – Stainless bars, light sections | 5,150 | 25 | 1,287 | China, Taiwan |
| 3B – Electrical sheets (other than GOES) | 8,628 | 30 | 2,588 | India, Japan |
| 20 – Gas pipes | 11,107 | 30 | 3,332 | UAE, Korea |
| 21 – Hollow sections | 18,533 | 30 | 5,560 | China, Serbia |
| 25B – Large welded tubes | 6,495 | 30 | 1,948 | Algeria |
| 26 – Other welded pipes | 20,051 | 30 | 6,015 | India,Serbia, Korea |
Elina Virchenko Turkey
