UK doubles tariffs on foreign steel to 50%
The measures raise landed costs for affected imported steel and sharply reduce permitted import volumes. They impose a formal domestic-sourcing requirement that increases the required share of UK-made steel and reserves half of that domestic share for Wales.
Change
The UK raised duties on Chinese and other foreign steel to 50%, will slash import quotas for many steel products by 60% from July 2026, and set a target that 50% of steel used in the UK be domestically produced with half of that output in Wales.
Why it matters
Importers will have much smaller quota allocations and face a binding 50% duty on any shipments outside those reduced quotas, restricting access to overseas supply. Procurement teams at UK steel-using firms must choose between securing domestic contracts or accepting substantially higher import costs for future deliveries.
Implications
- — UK manufacturers' procurement teams that buy steel must secure domestic supply agreements or renegotiate incoming import contracts before July 2026 — otherwise planned imports may be subject to a 50% duty.
- — Importers and customs brokers handling steel shipments into the UK must verify and register imports against the new, smaller quota allocations before July 2026 or face paying 50% duties on shipments outside quotas.
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