Key Takeaways
- EU quota order number 058622 for Category 12B non-alloy bars and light sections reached critical status on 3 August 2026, according to the UK Integrated Online Tariff Stop Press notice.
- Critical status means HMRC has warned that at least 90% of the quarterly quota has been allocated, so importers should plan for security and possible refusal of quota relief.
- The steel trade measure that started on 1 July 2026 applies a 50% ad valorem duty to in-scope steel imported above quota, replacing the previous 25% safeguard duty.
- Quota 058622 covers 18 commodity codes across non-alloy bars, light sections and related products, so classification accuracy now has a direct cash impact.
- Transitional relief may still protect goods imported by 30 September 2026 under contracts agreed before 14 March 2026, but the documentary evidence must be ready before declaration.
What Changed on 3 August 2026
EU quota 058622 moved into critical status on 3 August 2026. The UK Integrated Online Tariff Stop Press notice identifies the quota as Category 12B, covering non-alloy bars and light sections, with the current quota period ending on 30 September 2026. For UK steel importers, this is not just an administrative label. It is the point at which a routine quota claim becomes a cash-flow and compliance risk.
Critical status means HMRC has given notice that at least 90% of the relevant quarterly quota volume has been allocated. That threshold comes from the Customs (Tariff Quotas) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 and is repeated in the government’s implementation notifications for the 2026 steel measure. Once a quota is critical, HMRC can require importers to secure the full duty that would be payable if the quota claim is refused. In practice, that can pull duty exposure into the declaration process even before HMRC confirms the final allocation.
The affected EU quota is for non-alloy merchant bars and light sections. SteelOrbis reported on 6 August 2026, citing UK government data, that EU suppliers had used 91.3% of the 11,904 metric tonne allowance for this category. The same report said the “other countries” residual quota of 1,135 metric tonnes for non-alloy merchant bars had already been exhausted. Those figures explain why importers who expected quota availability through September need to retest that assumption now.
The immediate operational point is simple: do not treat quota order number 058622 as available until release. Your customs broker can still claim the order number on the import declaration, but the entry should be planned as though HMRC may ask for security or later refuse the allocation. If you manage steel classification internally, tools such as TariffFlow can help you check whether the commodity code genuinely sits inside the 058622 basket before the declaration reaches CDS.
Why This Quota Matters
The 2026 UK steel trade measure is materially tougher than the old safeguard regime. GOV.UK says the new measure took effect on 1 July 2026 and replaced the previous steel safeguard duty that ended on 30 June 2026. The out-of-quota rate is now 50% ad valorem for in-scope products. The previous safeguard duty was 25%, so an exhausted or refused quota claim now has a much sharper landed-cost effect.
The government also says overall quota volumes were reduced by 51% compared with the previous steel safeguard measure. That reduction is why categories can become critical early in the quarter even where importers have not changed their purchasing patterns. A buyer who imported under the old quota design may now face a narrower country-specific allowance, a smaller residual quota, or both.
Quota 058622 is especially sensitive because it covers steel products used in construction, fabrication, engineering and distribution. Many importers buy these goods against fixed-price contracts or project schedules. A late 50% duty charge can wipe out margin, trigger customer disputes or force a renegotiation with the supplier. The risk is worse where the importer has not separated the quota decision from the basic commodity-code classification decision.
This is also a CDS data-quality issue. To claim tariff quota treatment, the declaration must use the correct commodity code, origin, preference treatment, document codes and quota order number. A wrong code can make the claim invalid. A correct code entered against an exhausted quota can still leave the importer paying out-of-quota duty. If you are already reviewing your CDS process, the wider checks in our Customs Declaration Service guide are worth applying to steel entries before the next shipment arrives.
Products and Commodity Codes in Scope
Quota 058622 covers a defined list of commodity codes, not every steel bar or section that a buyer might describe commercially as “merchant bar”. The UK Integrated Online Tariff lists the affected codes as 7214300000, 7214911000, 7214919000, 7214993100, 7214993900, 7214995000, 7214997100, 7214997900, 7214999500, 7215900000, 7216100000, 7216210000, 7216220000, 7216401000, 7216409000, 7216501000, 7216509100 and 7216509900. That is 18 codes, and small differences in product form, working and cross-section can move goods between them.
The list includes several CN headings under 7214, 7215 and 7216. In operational terms, that means customs teams need the mill certificate, product specification, dimensions and manufacturing details early enough to classify accurately. A purchasing description such as “steel flats” or “light angles” is rarely enough. You need to know whether the product is hot-rolled, further worked, forged, drawn, extruded, of non-alloy steel, and whether it falls into one of the named forms.
Classification is not only a technical compliance exercise here. It determines whether the importer is competing for a nearly exhausted EU quota, outside this quota category, or potentially subject to a different steel measure. Where anti-dumping or anti-subsidy measures also apply, the commodity code and origin combination can change the total duty picture. Our commodity code classification guide sets out the classification discipline, but for steel entries you should also reconcile the code against the live tariff measure before the goods depart.
Treat supplier tariff codes with caution. EU exporters may provide a code that works for their export declaration, but the UK importer remains responsible for the UK import declaration. If the product sits near a boundary between two steel categories, ask for technical documents and obtain a written classification rationale. That record matters if HMRC later queries why you claimed quota 058622 or why you did not.
What Critical Status Means for Declarations
A critical quota can still have volume left. The point is that HMRC has warned the remaining allocation is low enough for claims to be uncertain. The government’s implementation notifications say tariff quotas are administered on a first-come, first-served basis. Importers claim quota access by citing the relevant quota order number, and HMRC grants allocation according to the applicable administration process.
Once critical status applies, the importer should be ready to provide security for the full duty that would apply without the quota. For quota 058622, the relevant out-of-quota duty is the 50% steel measure, according to GOV.UK’s guidance on the steel trade measure from 1 July 2026. Security can usually be provided through a guarantee arrangement, but the importer needs enough headroom. A shipment with a high customs value can consume guarantee capacity quickly.
The timing also matters. A shipment entered close to the end of a quota period may not receive final treatment immediately, especially where multiple importers are claiming the same remaining allowance. If the quota is later exhausted before your claim is allocated, the entry can become liable to the out-of-quota duty. That is why finance and customs teams should model the shipment both ways: quota granted and quota refused.
Importers should also check whether anti-dumping or anti-subsidy duties apply. GOV.UK’s implementation notifications state that the UK has 17 separate anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on steel imports and that those continue alongside the new steel measure. If an affected product is also subject to trade-remedy duty, the 50% out-of-quota charge can cumulate with those measures. For a primer on how those cases interact with sourcing and customs entries, see our UK anti-dumping duties guide.
Immediate Actions for Importers
Start with open orders and shipments already moving. List each EU-origin non-alloy bar or light-section shipment expected before 30 September 2026, then match it to its commodity code, origin, customs value, expected arrival date and quota order number. Any shipment using one of the 18 codes listed for quota 058622 should be treated as quota-sensitive. Do not wait until the vessel or trailer arrives to calculate the out-of-quota exposure.
Next, check guarantee capacity. If the declaration may require security for the full duty, the importer needs a guarantee arrangement that can carry the potential 50% charge. Where a broker uses the importer’s guarantee account, confirm the available balance before the entry is lodged. Where the broker provides the facility, confirm whether they are willing to support steel quota entries that have already gone critical.
Then review Incoterms and contract terms. If you bought under DDP, the seller may be responsible for import duty, but that does not remove delivery risk if they underpriced the duty exposure. If you bought under DAP or another term where you act as importer, the duty risk is likely yours. The allocation of risk should be checked against the actual contract wording, not only the three-letter Incoterms label. Our DDP vs DAP guide explains the practical distinction for UK imports.
Finally, decide whether to proceed, delay, reroute or renegotiate. If the margin cannot absorb a 50% out-of-quota duty, a shipment that depends on the last slice of quota may be too risky. Some buyers will need to bring goods forward, switch origin, use UK stock, or negotiate a duty-sharing clause with the supplier. Those choices are commercial, but they need customs data behind them.
Transitional Exemption and Special Procedures
The transitional exemption is narrow but valuable. GOV.UK’s implementation notifications say goods imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026 can be fully exempt from the 50% out-of-quota duty if they were under contract before 14 March 2026. Importers must hold verifiable evidence such as contracts, invoices and proofs of payment. The guidance also says entries should use document code 9Y16 with Preference Code 100 on CDS.
That exemption matters for quota 058622 because it can protect older contracted goods even when the quarterly quota is almost gone. The exemption is not a general grace period for all steel imports. It depends on evidence, timing and correct declaration coding. Goods covered by the transitional exemption do not count towards quota usage, according to the government’s implementation notifications.
Inward processing and freeport procedures may also be relevant, but they are not a simple way around the measure. GOV.UK says in-scope steel can be placed under inward processing or freeport customs special procedures. If it is later released to free circulation, duty is calculated on the steel as it was when declared into the procedure, rather than on the processed product. That rule is designed to stop importers avoiding the measure by carrying out minor processing before release.
Ukraine-origin steel is excluded from the new steel trade measure, reflecting the UK-Ukraine free trade agreement. That exclusion should still be supported by origin evidence. Do not assume that goods shipped from Ukraine, bought from a Ukrainian supplier, or invoiced through a Ukrainian company automatically qualify. Origin is a customs test based on the product and the applicable rules, not simply the route or seller.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is EU steel quota 058622?
EU quota 058622 is the UK tariff quota for Category 12B non-alloy bars and light sections of EU origin. It covers 18 listed commodity codes under headings 7214, 7215 and 7216. Importers claim it on CDS by using the correct commodity code, origin and quota order number.
What does critical status mean for a tariff quota?
Critical status means HMRC has issued notice that at least 90% of the quarterly quota volume has been allocated. The quota may not be fully exhausted, but claims become uncertain. Importers should expect possible security requirements and should model the shipment at the out-of-quota duty rate.
What duty applies if quota 058622 is exhausted?
GOV.UK says the steel trade measure from 1 July 2026 applies a 50% ad valorem duty to in-scope steel imported above quota. That charge replaced the previous 25% safeguard duty that ended on 30 June 2026. Anti-dumping or anti-subsidy duties can still apply as well where the product and origin are covered.
Can I use the transitional exemption instead of quota 058622?
You may be able to use the transitional exemption if the goods were under contract before 14 March 2026 and are imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026. GOV.UK says importers need verifiable evidence and should use document code 9Y16 with Preference Code 100 on CDS. If the evidence is weak, treat the exemption as unsafe until reviewed.
Should I delay EU steel shipments until the next quota period?
Delaying can help only if the next quota period has available volume and the commercial cost of delay is lower than the duty risk. Unused quota can roll forward within the quota year, but not into the next quota year that starts on 1 July 2027, according to GOV.UK’s implementation notifications. Check the live tariff position before assuming a later shipment will receive quota treatment.