Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1581 of 29 July 2025 amending and correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2025/1581 29.7.2025 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION(EU) 2025/1581 of 29 July 2025 amending and correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2015/478 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2015 on common rules for imports(1), and in particular Articles 16 and 20 thereof, Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2015/755 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 on common rules for imports from certain third countries(2), and in particular Articles 13(1) and 16 thereof, Whereas: (1) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/612(3) introduced some adjustments to the functioning of the definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products pursuant to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159(4). One of the adjustments was the introduction of a 15 % cap to the share of the overall volume that may be provided by any single exporting country in category 17 (‘Angles, Shapes and Sections of Iron or Non Alloy Steel’). (2) Category 17, where Ukraine has historically been the biggest exporter to the Union, was ‘globalised’ in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, because Ukraine was no longer able to export the product, and this created a risk of shortage of supply for Union users(5). In practice, this meant that the existing country-specific quotas of the UK, Türkiye and Korea were merged with the quota for other countries (‘residual quota’), to establish instead a single quota available for all origins. (3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/978 provided for the possibility to reassess the globalisation of the quota in view of the development of trade flows in those categories and of the suspension of the application of the safeguard vis-a-visUkraine, or if undue crowding out effects are identified(6). (4) The review investigation identified undue crowding out of certain traditional suppliers in category 17. Therefore, the Commission introduced a 15 % cap in that category(7). However, available information indicates that country-cap is affecting the traditional trade flows of certain trading partners, restricting their access to duty-free volumes to levels below their historical trade levels. (1) OJ L 83, 27.3.2015, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2015/478/oj. (2) OJ L 123, 19.5.2015, p. 33, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2015/755/oj. (3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/612 of 24 March 2025 amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products (OJ L, 2025/612, 25.3.2025, ELI: http:// data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/612/oj). (4) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 of 31 January 2019 imposing definitive safeguard measures against imports of certain steel products (OJ L 31, 1.2.2019, p. 27, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/159/oj). (5) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/978 of 23 June 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products (OJ L 167, 24.6.2022, p. 58, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/ reg_impl/2022/978/oj). (6) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/978 of 23 June 2022 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products (OJ L 167, 24.6.2022, p. 58, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/ reg_impl/2022/978/oj), recital (19). (7) See Section 6.3.3 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/612 of 24 March 2025 amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products (OJ L, 2025/612, 25.3.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/612/oj). ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1581/oj 1/9EN OJ L, 29.7.2025 (5) Consequently, the Commission considers that the 15 % country-cap should be removed in order to preserve the traditional trade of these trading partners, with effect as of 1 August 2025. (6) To prevent the undue crowding out of traditional suppliers while preserving historical trade flows, the Commission finds it appropriate to reintroduce the country-specific quotas for the UK, Türkiye and Korea, and to reinstate the residual quota. Because there is also a risk of undue crowding out of traditional suppliers within this residual quota, the Commission finds it appropriate to introduce a 40 % cap per origin. (7) The access of certain origins to duty-free volumes corresponding to their traditional trade should be restored swiftly, in this case as of 1 August 2025. (8) Since it was not possible to introduce this change at the beginning of a safeguard quarter, the country-specific quotas of the UK, Türkiye and Korea and the ‘other countries’ quota for the quarter 1.7.2025 – 30.9.2025 will be determined by allocating on a pro-rata basis the remaining duty-free volumes available under the globalised quota on 1 August 2025, as indicated in Annex IV to this Implementing Regulation, which is based on traditional trade flows per origin. (9) As noted in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/612 (recital (72)), category 17 was classified under group 2 (significant import pressure). Therefore, the Commission considers that it is not appropriate to provide country- specific quota holders access to the residual quota during the last quarter of a safeguard year. For that purpose, the relevant tables in the Annexes to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 are corrected. (10) Since the United Kingdom – Northern Ireland quota (‘UKNI quota’) of category 17 is used exclusively by United Kingdom originating goods which are brought into Northern Ireland by direct transport from other parts of the United Kingdom and released for free circulation in the territory of Northern Ireland, as set out in Regulation (EU) 2023/2840(8), this quota will not be impacted by the changes to the quota management of category 17. Furthermore, the UKNI quota does not affect the pro-rata allocation of volumes to quotas of third countries. (11) Furthermore, this Regulation should correct some other inaccuracies that have been identified after the publication of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/612. (12) As noted in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/612 (recital 76), in category 4B (‘Metallic Coated Sheets’), interested parties presented convincing evidence demonstrating that maintaining the status-quo aligns with the Union’s best interest. Therefore, category 4B was classified under ‘Group 4’ (no import pressure). Thus, for the sake of correctness, a cap in category 4B is removed. (13) In addition, in order to ensure that the requirements of Article 1 paragraph 7 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 are respected, footnotes 1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 23 in Annex IV.1 are corrected. (14) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on Safeguards established under Article 3(3) of Regulation (EU) 2015/478 and Article 22(3) of Regulation (EU) 2015/755 respectively, (8) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2840 of 14 December 2023 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 imposing a definitive safeguard measure on imports of certain steel products (OJ L, 2023/2840, 15.12.2023, ELI: http://data.europa. eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/2840/oj). 2/9 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1581/ojEN OJ L, 29.7.2025 HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 is amended as follows: (1) Article 1(5), is replaced by the following: ‘5. Where the relevant tariff-rate quota under paragraph 2 is exhausted for one specific country, imports from that country for some product categories can be made under the remaining part of the tariff-rate quota for the same product category. This provision shall only apply during the last quarter of each year of application of the definitive tariff-rate quota. For product categories 1A, 2, 3B, 4A, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25B and 26 no further access to the remaining part of the tariff-rate quota will be allowed. For product categories 1B, 3A, 9, 10, 12, 27 and 28 only access to a specific volume within the tariff-rate quota volume initially available in the last quarter, will be allowed. In product category 4B no exporting country shall be allowed to use, on its own, more than 30 % of the residual tariff-rate quota volume initially available in the last quarter of each year of application of measures.’; (2) Article 1(7), is replaced by the following: ‘7. A maximum import volume for categories 1A and 2 is 13 %; for category 16 is 15 %; for categories 6, 7 and 13 is 20 %; for categories 4A, 5 and 14 is 25 %; for categories 3B, 20, 21, 25B and 26 is 30 % per country of the available free-of-duty quota at the beginning of the quarter established in Annex IV.1 to this Regulation shall be applicable to countries importing through the residual quota. Furthermore, a maximum import volume for category 17 is 40 % per country of the available free-of-duty quota on 1 August 2025 importing through the residual quota. The maximum import volume applies to countries not having a country-specific quota and is applicable in all quarters.’; (3) paragraph 8 is added to Article 1: ‘8. For the period between 1.8.2025 and 30.9.2025, the remaining volume of the quota available on 1 August 2025 in Category 17 will be allocated to the respective quotas on the basis of the pro-rata figures in the Annex VI to this Regulation.’. Article 2 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 is corrected as follows: (1) footnote 1 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8601 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8602 From 1.7 to 30.6: For Egypt: 09.8450, for Vietnam: 09.8451, for Japan: 09.8452, for Taiwan: 09.8453, for Australia: 09.8454, for Switzerland: 09.8455, for United States: 09.8456, for Libya: 09.8457, for Canada: 09.8458 and for Algeria: 09.8459’; (2) footnote 2 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8661 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8662’; (3) footnote 6 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8609 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8610 From 1.7 to 30.6: For Türkiye: 09.8430, for Vietnam: 09.8431, for Taiwan: 09.8432 and for Tunisia: 09.8422’; (4) footnote 7 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8611 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8612 From 1.4 to 30.6: For China*: 09.8581, for Korea, Republic of*: 09.8582, for India*: 09.8583 and for United Kingdom*: 09.8584 *In case of exhaustion of their specific quotas in accordance with Article 1.5’; ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1581/oj 3/9EN OJ L, 29.7.2025 (5) footnote 9 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8615 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8616 From 1.7 to 30.6: for India: 09.8423, for Türkiye: 09.8424 and for Japan: 09.8419’; (6) footnote 10 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8617 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8618 From 1.7 to 30.6: for India: 09.8425, for Indonesia: 09.8426, for Korea, Republic of: 09.8427 and for Türkiye: 09.8418’; (7) footnote 15 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8627 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8628 From 1.7 to 30.6: for Algeria: 09.8428, for Egypt: 09.8429 and for China: 09.8417’; (8) footnote 16 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8629 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8630 From 1.7 to 30.6: for China: 09.8436, for Taiwan: 09.8437 and for United States: 09.8415’; (9) footnote 18 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8633 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8634 From 1.7 to 30.6: For Malaysia: 09.8460, for Algeria: 09.8461, for Egypt: 09.8462, for Bosnia and Herzegovina: 09.8463, for Korea, Republic of: 09.8464, for Japan: 09.8466, for Indonesia: 09.8465, for Serbia: 09.8467 and for Vietnam: 09.8468’; (10) footnote 19 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8635 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8636 From 1.7 to 30.6: for China: 09.8448, for Switzerland: 09.8469 and for United Arab Emirates: 09.8409’; (11) footnote 23 in Annex IV.1 is replaced by the following: ‘From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8643 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8644 From 1.7 to 30.6: for China: 09.8442, for Serbia: 09.8443 and for Bosnia and Herzegovina: 09.8449’; (12) Table IV.1 with the title ‘Volumes of tariff–rate quotas’ concerning product category 17 in Annex IV of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 is replaced by the table in Annex I to this Implementing Regulation; (13) Table IV.2 with the title ‘Volumes of global and residual tariff–rate quotas per trimester’ concerning product category 17 of Annex IV of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 is replaced by the table in Annex II to this Implementing Regulation; (14) Table IV.3 with the title ‘Maximum volume of residual quota accessible in last quarters to countries with a country specific quota’ concerning product category 17 of Annex IV of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159 is replaced by the table in Annex III to this Implementing Regulation. Article 3 The text set out in the Annex IV to this Regulation is added as Annex VI to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/159. 4/9 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1581/ojEN OJ L, 29.7.2025 Article 4 This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall apply from 1 August 2025. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 29 July 2025. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1581/oj 5/9ANNEX I Year 8 Allocation by From Product Product From 1.1.2026 to From 1.4.2026 to Additional Order CN Codes country (Where From 1.8.2025 to 30.9.2025 1.10.2025 to Number category 31.3.2026 30.6.2026 duty rate numbers Applicable) 31.12.2025 Volume of tariff quota (net tonnes) 17 Angles, 7216 31 10, Ukraine 31 662,59 31 662,59 30 974,27 31 318,43 25 % 09.8891 Shapes 7216 31 90, United Kingdom volumes to be calculated as 27 506,58 26 908,61 27 207,60 25 % 09.8897 and 7216 32 11, defined in Article 1(8) Sections 7216 32 19, of Iron or 7216 32 91, Türkiye volumes to be calculated as 22 892,27 22 394,61 22 643,44 25 % 09.8892 Non Alloy 7216 32 99, defined in Article 1(8) Steel 7216 33 10, 7216 33 90 Korea, Republic of volumes to be calculated as 5 335,16 5 219,18 5 277,17 25 % 09.8893 defined in Article 1(8) Other countries volumes to be calculated as 12 555,44 12 282,49 12 418,96 25 % (1) defined in Article 1(8) United Kingdom 14 254,99 14 254,99 13 945,10 14 100,05 25 % 09.8499 (to Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom (1) From 1.7 to 31.3: 09.8635 From 1.4 to 30.6: 09.8636 From 1.7 to 30.6: for China: 09.8448, for Switzerland: 09.8469 and for United Arab Emirates: 09.8409. 6/9 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1581/oj EN OJ L, 29.7.2025ANNEX II Year 8 Allocation by country From 1.10.2025 to From 1.1.2026 to From 1.4.2026 to Product Number From 1.8.2025 to 30.9.2025 (Where Applicable) 31.12.2025 31.3.2026 30.6.2026 Volume of tariff quota (net tonnes) 17 Other countries volumes to be calculated as defined in Article 1(8) 12 555,44 12 282,49 12 418,96 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1581/oj 7/9 OJ L, 29.7.2025 ENEN OJ L, 29.7.2025 ANNEX III New allocated quota in tonnes Product category From 1.4.2026 to 30.6.2026 17 No access to the residual quota in Q4 8/9 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1581/ojEN OJ L, 29.7.2025 ANNEX IV ‘ANNEX VI From 1.8.2025 to 30.9.2025 Country Pro-rata allocation of the remaining duty-free volumes available under the globalised quota on 1.8.2025 United Kingdom 40,28 % Türkiye 33,52 % Korea, Republic of 7,81 % Other countries 18,39 %’ ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1581/oj 9/9