UK announces adjustment to list of developing countries enjoying exemptions and changes to tariff quotas for safeguard measures on steel products

General information on the UK safeguard review

On February 28, 2025, due to review data showing that there have been changes in circumstances since the application of quotas on certain steel products (such as changes in import volumes from certain developing countries), TRA self-initiated a review of the safeguard measures applied to certain groups of steel products with a view to considering changes to the tariff quotas.

The products under investigation are 14 groups of steel products. For detailed information on the products under review, please see the attached document below.

Notice of adjustment of the list of developing countries enjoying exemptions and changes in quotas for safeguard measures on steel products

After the investigation and review process, TRA proposes the following adjustments:

Adjustment of the list of developing countries entitled to exemptions: TRA proposes to remove from the list of 6 developing countries including Vietnam, China, India, UAE, Greece, Turkey from the list of exemptions from applying safeguard measures because each country's market share of steel imports into the UK has exceeded the threshold of 3% during the investigation period (POI: 01/01/2024-31/12/2024), compared to the representative period for assessing traditional trade flows 2017-2019.

TRA assessed that the remaining quotas for grades 5, 16, 17, 21 had been fully utilised in at least one quarter of the POI, with many other grades reporting high levels of quota utilisation in the POI. In addition, TRA considered that there had been a significant change in global and UK steel demand, which it considered a change in circumstances that warranted a change in quotas to help relieve pressure on the UK steel industry. Therefore, TRA recommended the following quota changes:

Unused quotas do not roll over to the next quarter.

Countries with individual quotas will not be able to use any remaining quota in the final quarter.

From 1 October 2025, the ceiling shall be applied to the remaining quota in the following groups: Group 4: 40%; Group 7: 40%; Group 13: 40%.

For details of the proposed quota allocation, please see the attached document below. For Vietnam, the UK plans to change the quota allocation for the following groups:

Group	Current quota allocation (import share 1/2022-12/2022)	Proposed quota allocation (import market share from 01/2024-12/2024)
1A (Hot-rolled non-alloy and other alloy steel plates and strips)	Exemption (0%)	According to remaining quota (market share 4.3%)
1B (Hot-rolled non-alloy and other alloy steel plates and strips) (permitted use)	Exemption (0%)	By global quota (market share 4.3%)
5 (Organic galvanized steel sheet)	Remaining (8.7%)	Exempt (market share 2.2%)

Comment and consultation process

In conjunction with the above proposal, TRA invites interested parties to submit comments on the final conclusions report by 23:59 UK time on 26 May 2025 on the Trade Remedies Service ( https://www.trade-remedies.service.gov.uk/accounts/login/?next=/dashboard/ ) or by email to [email protected] . Comments should be accompanied by a public version or a summary of the public version.

WTO members affected by these adjustments, who wish to consult with the UK, can submit a request via the UK Delegation in Geneva and agree a suitable time for consultations. Consultations will be held via MS Teams and conducted in accordance with Article 12.3 of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards.

For details, please contact: Foreign Trade Remedies Handling Department, Trade Remedies Authority, Ministry of Industry and Trade - No. 23 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Officer in charge: Nguyen Viet Ha - Email: [email protected] ; [email protected] .

See details here

Source: Department of Trade Defense

Source: https://moit.gov.vn/tin-tuc/thi-truong-nuoc-ngoai/vuong-quoc-anh-thong-bao-dieu-chinh-danh-sach-cac-nuoc-dang-phat-trien-huong-mien-tru-va-thay-doi-han-ngach-thue-quan-bi.html