UK to cancel Turkey's exemption from HDG quotas
According to the preliminary findings of the Office for the Protection of Trade Rights (TRA), the import of hot-dip galvanized steel (HDG) from the UK from Turkey will lose its status as a developing economy and will fall under the residual quota for other countries.
The TRA began the review in response to a statement from Tata Steel, the UK's only producer of galvanized steel, which claimed that imports of Turkish metal-coated sheet exceeded the 3% withdrawal threshold in the 12 months to November.
The initial conclusions of the TRA are that Turkey will lose its exemption and become part of a limited quota for other countries. The TRA will publish its final recommendations by the end of March, so any changes are likely to take effect on April 1.
According to GTT data, UK imports of pork under the 7210 code from Turkey increased to 58,030 tons in 2025 from 1,025 tons in 2024. The total volume of pork imports from the UK exceeded 1 million tons last year, which allowed Turkey to occupy about 5.8% of the market.
Traders and buyers suggested that the increase in shipments from Turkey was partly caused by changes in quotas from other countries since July 1, as a result of which goods from South Korea and Vietnam began to be supplied to the market. stuck in ports. As a result, buyers actually duplicated purchases of this material in Turkey.
Argus reported in January that traders said Turkish HDG could fall under UK protective measures from April, as shipments to Turkey increased rapidly in 2025. Industry sources at the time reported that Turkey supplied more than 4% of British HDG imports, including shipments from the EU, and about 10% excluding imports from the EU, well above the levels covered by the benefits.
Turkish exporters said that TRA's decision was expected after a sharp increase in HDG shipments from Turkey in 2025.
Turkish manufacturers said that sales in the EU have already slowed due to CBAM, the upcoming system of post-warranty guarantees and existing anti-dumping duties. As a result, the UK has become an important market in 2025, and margins are expected to decrease significantly if the British quota exemption is lifted.
TRA also indicated that it may extend the investigation to other suppliers from developing countries, including India, Vietnam, China, Brazil, Egypt, Morocco, Malaysia, and South Africa.
Traders and buyers are also concerned that dumping investigations may be conducted in several countries on Tata's orders. Talk of litigation has been spreading in the market since the summer of 2025.