In a press release published on September 18, 2026, the European Commission (EC) announced the implementation of provisional safeguard measures on imports of certain grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES) products.

The measures are intended to address import developments during the Commission’s ongoing safeguard investigation. They include tariff-rate quotas administered on a first-come, first-served basis. Depending on the product classification, country of origin, quota availability, and declared value, additional safeguard duties may apply.

For affected transformer imports, the net weight of the transformer core must be obtained from the manufacturer or supplier before import, as this information is required for customs declaration purposes. Transformers falling within the scope of the measure are subject to a safeguard duty of EUR 1,140 per ton of declared core net weight.

The provisional safeguard measures entered into force on September 25, 2026, and are scheduled to remain in effect until February 26, 2027, unless they are replaced, amended, or terminated following the outcome of the investigation.

The EC press release can be found here:
https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/news/commission-imposes-provisional-safeguard-measures-imports-grain-oriented-electrical-steel-2026-09-18_en

The safeguard measure regulation can be read here:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202602133