HBIS

Serbia’s Steel Exports Face Tighter EU Quotas and Higher Tariffs

Serbia’s steel industry is facing more restrictive access to the European Union market as Brussels strengthens trade safeguards, tightens import controls and increases protection for strategic industries. The changes affecting the Smederevo steelworks, owned by China’s HBIS Group, highlight the commercial challenges facing Serbian manufacturers operating outside the EU’s institutional framework. According to MAT, the EU significantly reduced the duty-free quota for Serbian steel from July 2026, cutting it from approximately 820,000 tonnes to 410,000 tonnes annually. The revised allowance…