The Customs Watch UK: Edition 32
š Steel faces a 50% duty cliff, French pallet checks intensify, and key UK-EU trade arrangements remain under scrutiny.
The Customs Watch UKSummary: UK customs and trade compliance faces several important developments this week, with steel duty exposure and EU border controls requiring particular attention.Ā The 30 September expiry of the transitional exemption for certain pre-14 March steel contracts could expose out-of-quota imports to the full 50% safeguard duty from 1 October. At the same time, French authorities have intensified inspections of wood packaging material following a pine wood nematode outbreak, while several UK steel quota lines have either been exhausted or moved to critical status. The edition also covers two steel commodity codes moving to 0% from 1 October, the latest quota balance updates, the Windsor Framework committee stock-take and updates to HMRC's fuel warehousing and Tied Oils guidance. š„ Read the latest edition here - PRO Subscription required |
Steel 50% Duty Exemption Ends 30 September
The transitional exemption protecting certain pre-14 March 2026 steel contractsĀ from the 50% out-of-quota safeguard duty ends on 30 September 2026.
From 1 October, any covered steel entering outside the available quota will be subject to the full 50% duty.
The quarterly quota period also resets on 1 October, reopening balances on lines that have run down during September. Businesses with steel shipments linked to legacy contracts should therefore review eligibility evidence, clearance timing and potential out-of-quota exposure before the deadline.
š Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch UK to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.
France Intensifies Pallet Checks on UK Exports to the EU
French authorities have significantly increased inspections of wood packaging materialĀ following a pine wood nematode outbreak.
The controls have been in force since 1 September 2026, with inspections applying to consignments arriving from third countries, including Great Britain. Pallets, crates, boxes, cable drums and other wood packaging used for EU exports must meet ISPM 15Ā treatment and marking requirements. Non-compliant packaging may be destroyed, while the goods it carries can face delays or enforcement.
UK exporters shipping to or through France should therefore ensure that packaging suppliers, logistics teams and hauliers are checking ISPM 15 compliance before dispatch.
š Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch UK to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.
Steel Quotas Tighten Before the 1 October Reset
Several steel quota lines are approaching or have already reached exhaustion. EU quarto plate quota 058619Ā was fully exhausted on 16 September, meaning affected entries now face the out-of-quota treatment. EU steel bar quota 058665Ā and TĆ¼rkiye gas pipe quota 058644Ā have been declared critical, with draws requiring duty security.
For businesses relying on these quotas, the remaining September window is particularly important. The position can affect landed cost, duty security requirements and shipment timing before the new quarterly period begins on 1 October. Ā
š Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch UK to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.
Additional Developments This Week
Steel: Two Wire Codes Move to 0% on 1 October
Commodity codes 72173049 and 72173090Ā are being removed from the steel safeguard measure from 1 October.
The change reduces their out-of-quota rate from 50% to 0%, creating a potential duty-saving opportunity for businesses importing products covered by these classifications.
Quota Balances: Two Lines Exhausted
The latest quota balance information shows order numbers 051893 and 058619Ā at zero.
Businesses using UK first-come-first-served tariff quotas should check their own order numbers and confirm the applicable commodity coverage before relying on the balance information.
Quota Balances: Critical Lines Continue to Fall
The 18 September balance update shows 058665Ā and 058644Ā continuing to decline, while no additional quota line reached zero in that update. The two critical lines remain important for businesses importing EU steel bars and Turkish gas pipes ahead of the 30 September reset.
Windsor Framework Committee Reaffirms Existing Arrangements
The UK-EU Specialised Committee reconfirmed existing Windsor Framework arrangements, including no customs duties on qualifying Northern Ireland business-to-consumer parcels and preservation of the relevant UK-origin steel volumes moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Further work remains on SPS compliance, certificate requirements and box-level labelling.
Excise Notice 179 Updated: Fuel Warehousing
HMRC refreshed Excise Notice 179Ā on 16 September. The source does not identify a discrete new obligation from the body of the notice, so this is best treated as a monitoring item for fuel warehousekeepers and producers rather than a general customs change.
Excise Notice 184A Updated: Tied Oils Scheme
HMRC also refreshed Excise Notice 184AĀ on 16 September. The update concerns the Industrial Relief (Tied Oils) Scheme. The source does not identify a specific new obligation from the notice body, making this primarily a monitoring item for businesses handling eligible industrial oils.
Overview of This Week's Edition Changes
Development | Why It Matters |
Steel 50% Duty Exemption Ends 30 September | Certain pre-14 March contracts lose their transitional protection from the 50% out-of-quota safeguard duty. |
France Pallet Checks | Non-compliant wood packaging can be destroyed and consignments delayed when moving to or through France. |
EU Quota 058619 Exhausted | Quarto plate imports covered by the exhausted quota now face out-of-quota treatment. |
EU Quota 058665 Critical | Steel bar quota draws require duty security and could face out-of-quota exposure before the reset. |
TĆ¼rkiye Quota 058644 Critical | Gas pipe quota draws require security while the remaining volume approaches exhaustion. |
Two Wire Codes Move to 0% | Codes 72173049 and 72173090 leave the steel safeguard measure from 1 October. |
Windsor Framework Stock-Take | Existing GB-NI arrangements remain in place, while further SPS and labelling work continues. |
Excise Guidance Updates | HMRC refreshed Notices 179 and 184A for fuel warehousing and tied oils, with no discrete new obligation identified in the source. |
The free edition gives you the headline:
What changed. Who is affected. Why it matters.
The Full Technical AnalysisĀ provides the detail needed to assess the implications for your organisation, including:
ā Steel safeguard rates and transitional arrangements
ā Specific tariff quota order numbers and commodity codes
ā Quota exhaustion and critical-status implications
ā Duty security requirements
ā Key deadlines and quarterly reset dates
ā Commodity classification and duty-saving opportunities
ā ISPM 15 requirements for EU-bound wood packaging
ā Windsor Framework developments
ā HMRC excise guidance updates
ā Official regulatory sources and links
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Author
Ann Karen | Head of Growth
Updated: September 21, 2026
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