The European Commission has introduced new measures to stop circumvention of steel safeguard quotas involving rebar imports.
According to the Commission, some rebar products traditionally imported under Category 13 began entering the EU under Category 12 in 2025 after minor chemical composition changes allowed reclassification under a different customs code.
The shift enabled access to more duty-free quota volumes.
The Commission said imports under the affected code rose around 250% year on year in 2025, accounting for roughly 35% of the total annual rebar quota.
To address the issue, the EU introduced new TARIC codes to clearly separate:
- Reinforcing bars and rods (rebar)
- Merchant bars and other products
The EU said the changes are intended to restore fair quota allocation and prevent misuse, while maintaining the current safeguard regime until June 30, 2026.
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