On 4 May 2026, the European Commission published what is expected to be the final simplification package for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), before it starts to apply on 30 December 2026 for most companies. The EUDR requires that seven key commodities (cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, and rubber) and their derived products
EU Steel safeguard overhaul: Our views on the key implications of the new tariff-rate quota regime, expected to go live on 1 July 2026
Background
With the existing EU steel safeguard expiring on 30 June 2026, the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council addressing the negative trade‑related effects of global overcapacity on the Union steel market (COM(2025) 726) (the new steel measures) is designed to replace the existing safeguard measures and would instal
EU’s Industrial Accelerator Act unveils “Made in EU” and low-carbon push, reshaping trade relations
- Industrial Accelerator Act introduces Union origin and low-carbon requirements for public procurement (from January 2029) and support schemes in strategic sectors.
- Energy-intensive industries face low-carbon and Union origin requirements; electric vehicles require EU assembly, 70% EU content, and phased-in battery/powertrain rules; net-zero technologies face tightening thresholds.
- Businesses must assess Union origin under customs
EU customs targets split shipments and post-entry assembly in classification enforcement push
EU customs authorities are intensifying enforcement around customs classification, with scrutiny of goods assembled in the EU after importation. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) 2025 Annual Report explicitly identifies assembly operations performed after import as a common fraud pattern used to evade customs duties. The concern centres on components that, when classified individually, attract
EU-Mercosur: Key developments shaping the trade agreement
In a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape marked by rising tensions and global economic challenges, the European Union is accelerating efforts to diversify its trade partnerships. One of the most significant recent developments is the signing of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA, or the Agreement) and the Interim Trade Agreement (iTA) on 17 January 2026
EU trade remedies in 2026: What to expect
In today’s global trade landscape, trade defence instruments (TDI), such as anti-dumping and countervailing (anti-subsidy) duties, are more vital than ever. TDI are measures used to protect EU industry from imports originating from non‑EU countries that distort competition by suppressing EU producers’ prices, typically through dumping or because of state subsidies. The European Commission, specifically
Commission proposes expansion of EU CBAM to downstream goods and addresses potential CBAM abusive practices
On 17 December 2025, the European Commission published an amendment proposal (COM 2025/0419) to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/956), which proposes to expand CBAM to certain downstream goods and strengthen anti-circumvention provisions. The proposal also refines operational rules, including for electricity imports, exemptions, and market-stability safeguards.
EU introduces safeguard measures on ferro-alloys imports
Yesterday, the European Union adopted safeguard measures (C/2025/7842) to curb imports of manganese- and silicon-based ferro-alloys, key alloying inputs for the European steel industry. The decision follows a surge in imports and forms part of a broader policy response to global overcapacity and shifting trade flows in the steel sector. The measures take