Today's TARIC update brought a significant volume of changes, primarily focused on iron and steel and fresh produce. Regulators published dozens of new 0% tariff quotas for steel products from origins including North Macedonia and South Korea, many of which were effective as of yesterday. Separately, a different set of steel quotas for South Korea took effect today, alongside routine entry price updates for agricultural goods, most notably tomatoes and cucumbers.
The themes
After a quiet start to the week, today's update to the Common Customs Tariff contained over 100 changes, shifting the regulatory focus to the iron and steel and agricultural sectors. The day’s activity was characterized by administrative adjustments, with new tariff quotas and entry price updates dominating the changes. No new trade defence measures were published.
The majority of new measures were concentrated in iron and steel (Chapter 72), edible fruit and nuts (Chapter 08), and edible vegetables (Chapter 07).
Headline items
The day's most significant publication was a block of 36 new tariff quotas for iron and steel products. These measures, implemented under Regulation R1457/26, establish a 0% duty rate for in-quota imports from various origins, including North Macedonia and South Korea. The measures were loaded with an effective date of 25 August.
Coming into force
A total of 35 measures took effect today, impacting importers of steel and agricultural goods.
- Steel Quotas for South Korea: A series of 0% tariff quotas for various iron and steel products (Chapters 72 and 72) originating from South Korea became active. These are part of the same regulatory package (R1457/26) as the quotas loaded for other origins.
- Agricultural Entry Prices: Routine updates to the entry prices for several fresh produce lines took effect. This includes new values for fresh tomatoes (HS 07020000) from Morocco, Türkiye, and other countries, as well as for cucumbers (HS 07070005).
What to watch
The large-scale publication of steel quotas suggests ongoing management of steel import flows. While today's activity shifted focus away from the chemical sector, the several hundred future-dated certificate requirements for chemicals and pharmaceuticals flagged in previous briefings remain on the horizon.