The Customs Watch EU Edition 23

Annkaren Wambui
Jun 17
4 min read

🔒 Steel's 50% Wall | Korea & Africa Open New Lanes | Moldova Knocks – Download infographic, podcast and PPT

The Customs Watch EU

Summary: European trade policy is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. This week's update explores the new steel safeguard regime arriving on 1 July, the continuing expansion of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and the emergence of new trade opportunities through agreements with Korea and Eastern and Southern Africa. Customs risks are becoming more targeted, while tomorrow's preferential opportunities are already taking shape.

Read the latest edition here (PRO Subscription required)

Why Is the New EU Steel Safeguard Creating a 50% Tariff Wall?

Infographic on EU steel customs: ship, truck and barriers with 50% tariff wall, 1 July 2026, and customs action tips. — *Europe's new steel safeguard could turn yesterday's quotas into tomorrow's costs.*

For many businesses, steel safeguards have long been treated as routine background noise. That assumption is becoming dangerous.

From 1 July 2026, a new EU safeguard regime will significantly reduce duty-free quotas while doubling the out-of-quota tariff to 50%. Importers of steel products from outside the European Union and European Economic Area could therefore face substantially higher landed costs.

In addition, the introduction of a "melt-and-pour" requirement means that businesses will increasingly need mill certificates and enhanced supply chain visibility.

Companies may wish to revisit sourcing strategies, model quota exposure, and assess customs procedures such as inward processing and customs warehousing before the new regime comes into force.

For a deeper dive into the steel safeguard changes, we recommend you read the current edition of The Customs Watch EU, where we analyse what really happened, what businesses are concerned, who is affected in your company, what you may wish to do, and provide links to find out more. Get started with The Customs Watch EU with a 30-day free trial with no commitment, no credit card, and no sign-up. Simply visit www.customsmanager.info and click on "Start Trial".

PODCAST – The Customs Watch EU Edition 23

🎧 Listen to a discussion on the latest European customs developments in The Customs Watch EU Podcast. Whether you're travelling to the office or preparing for another thrilling customs audit, the podcast explains the week's developments in plain English.

Why Is CBAM Becoming More Important For Supply Chains?

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is moving from theory to reality.

Actual emissions monitoring is now required under the definitive period of CBAM, making 2026 the first year in which businesses must calculate real embedded emissions rather than rely on estimates.

At the same time, the European Council has endorsed proposals to expand CBAM to downstream products, potentially bringing hundreds of additional steel and aluminium product categories into scope from 2028.

For many businesses, carbon compliance is no longer simply a sustainability issue.

It is becoming a supply chain intelligence challenge.

Importers, procurement teams, and finance departments may wish to begin identifying which products and suppliers could be affected before the next phase of CBAM arrives.

For a deeper dive into CBAM developments, we recommend you read the current edition of The Customs Watch EU, where we analyse what really happened, what businesses are concerned, who is affected in your company, what you may wish to do, and provide links to find out more.

What Do The Korea And Africa Agreements Mean For Future Trade?

Not every customs development creates an immediate crisis.

Some create opportunities.

This week, the European Union signed a Digital Trade Agreement with South Korea and concluded negotiations on an expanded trade agreement with Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles.

Although these agreements are not yet in force, they represent the gradual opening of future preferential trade corridors.

Businesses that monitor these developments early may be better positioned to benefit from future duty savings and market access opportunities.

Trade intelligence is often about seeing tomorrow's opportunities before everyone else does.

EU CBAM Definitive Period: Carbon Costs, Compliance & Financial Risk Explained

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiBi2SiNCew

The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is entering a new phase, and accurate emissions data is becoming essential for maintaining access to the European market. In this video, we explain how overseas suppliers can calculate embedded emissions, understand Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) requirements, and avoid the higher costs associated with default values.

Watch the Video below

Exporting to Europe? Why You Must Calculate CO₂ Now

Overview of What We Cover In The Customs Watch EU This Week

Topic & Regulatory Update	Key Takeaway for Businesses	Action To Take
Steel Safeguard Reform	Duty-free quotas fall while out-of-quota duties rise to 50%.	Sign up for the 30-day free trial of The Customs Watch EU.
CBAM Expansion	Carbon reporting obligations are increasing.	Sign up for the 30-day free trial of The Customs Watch EU.
Korea & Africa Trade Agreements	New preferential opportunities are taking shape.	Sign up for the 30-day free trial of The Customs Watch EU.

There is much more to discover in The Customs Watch EU.

In addition to the above, we cover many more updates from last week, including Glass Fibre Anti-Dumping Duties, CBAM Registry Requirements, Moldova's EU accession process, and future anti-circumvention measures affecting downstream products.

If you don't want to risk missing out on important customs developments while everyone else is busy doomscrolling, perhaps now is the time to start your free trial.