In the first quarter following the EU’s introduction of quotas on metal product shipments, Ukrainian metal exporters used 100% of their quarterly guaranteed quota for duty-free shipments to the EU of cold-rolled flat products made of unalloyed and alloyed steel, hollow sections, and other seamless pipes, according to a statement on the website of the “Ukrmetallurgprom” association.
According to the statement, as of September 30, 2026, the quotas in the following categories under the global (final) quotas in which Ukraine participates have been exhausted: metal-coated sheets (MFN subgroup—“Most-Favored-Nation treatment”), metal-coated sheets (FTA subgroup—“countries with a free trade agreement with the EU”), unalloyed and other alloyed steel bars and light sections (MFN subgroup—“most-favored-nation treatment”), stainless steel bars, billets, and small-section products (MFN subgroup – “most-favored-nation treatment”) and stainless steel bars, billets, and small-section products (FTA subgroup – “countries with a free trade agreement with the EU”).
Among competing countries, the guaranteed quota as of September 30 has been exhausted for the following categories: rebar – Turkey; wire rod of non-alloy and alloy steel – Turkey; hollow sections – Turkey and Macedonia; seamless stainless steel pipes—India; cold-rolled bars and rods of unalloyed and alloyed steel—Switzerland; and unalloyed wire—Turkey.
As of September 29, 2026, the competitive quota has been exhausted for the following categories: hot-rolled flat products of unalloyed and alloyed steel, rebar, wire rod of unalloyed and alloyed steel, hollow sections, seamless stainless steel pipes, other seamless pipes, and non-alloy wire.
As previously reported, once the guaranteed and competitive quotas are exhausted, further shipments to the EU are subject to a 50% tariff. “Ukrmetallurgprom” criticized the EU’s decision to restrict shipments of Ukrainian steel products, which had been supplied to Europe duty-free for the first three years following Russia’s full-scale aggression. The association believes that Ukraine currently poses no threat to European producers, as the war initially caused the country’s steel production to plummet from 40 million metric tons to 7.5 million metric tons, and currently, nearly all steel plants are shut down due to shelling.
EU, EXPORTS, METALLURGY, QUOTA, UKRAINE
