The EU is massively exhausting steel quotas: Turkey, China and Vietnam are ahead
Since the beginning of the new quota period (from July 1 to September 30), some EU import quotas allocated for certain countries and products have been exceeded – we are talking about 23 positions at once, according to SteelData.
Turkey became the most active, which already on July 2 selected volumes within the framework of nine quotas for steel imports to the EU, in particular, for fittings, tinplate, gas pipes, and large-diameter welded pipes.
Quotas have now exceeded China in five categories, Vietnam in three, India and Taiwan in two, and Algeria in one.
In particular, Taiwan already exceeded the quotas for hot-rolled rolled products in the "other countries" category at the beginning of the new quota period (as of July 2, 122.3 thousand tons from this country were expected to be cleared with a quota of 112.71 thousand tons). Vietnam – for metal-coated sheets (4A, 4B) and organic-coated sheets in the "other countries" category.
At the same time, SteelOrbis notes, there is also a decrease in the use of quotas in the current period compared to the previous quarter. For example, on July 1, India used 64.44% and 61.64% of its quotas for coated metal sheet (4A) and organic coated sheet, whereas at the beginning of the previous quota period this figure was 122.72% and 83.53%, respectively.
The exhaustion of quotas for certain types of metal products has obviously accelerated the tougher EU import protection rules adopted recently. In addition, the changes may reflect the redirection of trade due to the US tariff policy and price trends in the European market.