Trade remedies

Many of Switzerland's trading partners deploy trade defence instruments such as safeguard and anti-dumping or anti-subsidy measures. Switzerland does not apply any such measures.

With its export-oriented economy and globally active businesses, Switzerland has a critical interest in preventing protectionist action on trade and in resolving disputes on the basis of the relevant international trade agreements. It is therefore committed to establishing and maintaining stable trade relations with its partners.

Safeguard measures on steel imports into the EU and the United Kingdom

In 2018, the European Union (EU) introduced safeguard measures on certain steel imports under WTO rules in response to the US import duties on steel and aluminium. Following its withdrawal from the EU, the United Kingdom (UK) also introduced safeguard measures on certain steel imports with effect from 1 January 2021. As these WTO-based safeguard measures expired on 30 June 2026, both the EU and the UK introduced new steel measures with effect from 1 July 2026. Switzerland is also affected by these measures.

EU: New steel measures form 1 July 2026

With effect from 1 July 2026, the EU has introduced new steel measures of unlimited duration (EU Regulation 2026/1384), replacing the steel safeguard measures that expired at the end of June 2026. The measures apply to all third countries, including Switzerland, with the exception of the EEA/EFTA states Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

The total duty-free quota volumes amount to 18.3 million tonnes, and a 50 % duty is due on EU imports outside these quotas. On 30 June 2026, the EU published an implementing regulation allocating the duty-free quotas to its trading partners (EU Implementing Regulation 2026/1457)

The European Commission publishes and regularly updates information on the utilisation of tariff quota volumes (Consultation on Tariff Quotas).

The European Commission can regularly review the steel measures as part of a review mechanism and make adjustments where necessary.

Further information on how the new EU steel measures work can be found in the factsheet below.

• New EU steel measures - Factsheet (in German)

  PDF167.17 kB21 July 2026

UK: New steel measures from 1 July 2026

On 1 July 2026, the UK also introduced new steel measures of unlimited duration, replacing its steel safeguard measures that had expired at the end of June 2026 (UK Government publication).

The measures apply to all countries, including Switzerland, with the exception of Ukraine. The duty-free quotas are reduced by 51 % compared with the existing steel safeguard measures. An additional duty of 50 % is due on imports exceeding the duty-free quotas. Switzerland has a country-specific quota for product category 26.

Position of the Swiss federal authorities

Switzerland continues to engage with the EU and the UK to ensure that the measures do not, or only to a minimal extent, restrict Swiss steel exports and that the obligations under the bilateral free trade agreements and WTO law are fully complied with.