The UK's Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has recommended the introduction of country-specific caps on steel imports in a bid to shield the domestic steel industry from mounting global pressures.
According to the TRA's latest proposal, imports of three key steel product categories—metallic coated sheet, non-alloy and other alloy quarto plates, and rebar—would be subject to a 40% cap per exporting country. The measure is designed to respond to shifts in global and local demand that are placing significant strain on the UK’s steel producers.
If approved by the UK government, the new import limits would take effect from October 1, 2025, giving importers several months to adapt to the change.
In a further move, the TRA also advised the removal of carry-over quotas—a mechanism that allows unused import quotas to roll over into the next period. This would be discontinued from July 1, 2025.
The TRA cited findings from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), whose Steel Committee warned in November 2024 that "global excess capacity will increase significantly in 2025 and 2026." The committee noted that this trend is likely to exacerbate oversupply conditions and deepen the economic challenges facing steelmakers worldwide.
The UK government is now reviewing the TRA’s recommendations and is expected to issue a final decision in the coming months.
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