Alloy and electrical steel strip from China
Alloy steel strip under 600 mm wide from China, heading 7226, splits by line: grain-oriented and cold-rolled electrical steel, high-speed steel and cold-rolled alloy strip pay 0% UK duty, while hot-rolled and coated lines pay 50% once the steel quota is used up, some with anti-dumping or countervailing duty of up to 44.70%. Cambridge China Bridge sources alloy steel strip.
0% or 50%, depending on the line
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, flat-rolled products of other alloy steel less than 600 mm wide, heading 7226, carried 0% duty on goods from China, outside the steel measure, for grain-oriented silicon-electrical steel, other silicon-electrical steel that is not only hot-rolled, high-speed steel, and other alloy strip only cold-rolled. Hot-rolled silicon-electrical steel, hot-rolled tool and other alloy strip, and zinc-coated, painted and other coated alloy strip are under the UK steel trade measure that replaced the safeguard on 1 July 2026: 50% once the tariff quota is used up, 0% while it has volume. Goods from China use the residual quota shared by countries without their own allocation, allocated by HMRC first come, first served in quarterly periods. A transitional exemption with document code 9Y16, for goods contracted before 14 March 2026, covered only imports up to 30 September 2026.
Trade remedies apply to some of the 50% lines. Hot-rolled alloy strip on the lines of the hot-rolled flat products measures carries a countervailing duty of 35.90% for exporters not named and 4.6% to 35.9% for named producers, and an anti-dumping duty of 0% for exporters not named and up to 31.3% for named producers, until 6 April 2027. Hot-dip galvanised alloy strip within the chemical definition carries 27.90% residual anti-dumping, and painted or plastic-coated alloy strip 13.60% anti-dumping and 44.70% countervailing duty residual, until 4 May 2029. Named rates apply only with the invoice the measure requires.
All the lines in the table are in the iron and steel sector of the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which applies to imports from 1 January 2027. An importer who expects £50,000 or more of CBAM goods within 30 days, or has imported that much in the previous 12 months, must register, keep records for 6 years, and should ask suppliers for emissions data now. See our UK CBAM guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grain-oriented electrical steel, 500 mm or less, over 0.16 mm, core loss 0.9 W/kg or less | 7226 11 00 92 | 0% | None |
| Grain-oriented electrical steel, 500 mm or less, 0.16 mm or thinner | 7226 11 00 99 | 0% | None |
| Other silicon-electrical steel, not only hot-rolled, 500 mm or less | 7226 19 80 90 | 0% | None |
| Other silicon-electrical steel, hot-rolled only, other | 7226 19 10 95 | 50% outside quota | Countervailing 35.90% residual, 4.6% to 35.9% named; anti-dumping 0% residual, up to 31.3% named; to 6 Apr 2027 |
| High-speed steel strip, other | 7226 20 00 90 | 0% | None |
| Tool steel strip, hot-rolled only | 7226 91 20 00 | 50% outside quota | None |
| Other alloy strip, hot-rolled only, under 4.75 mm | 7226 91 99 00 | 50% outside quota | Countervailing 35.90% residual, 4.6% to 35.9% named; anti-dumping 0% residual, up to 31.3% named; to 6 Apr 2027 |
| Other alloy strip, cold-rolled only, 500 mm or less | 7226 92 00 90 | 0% | None |
| Alloy strip, electrolytically zinc-coated | 7226 99 10 00 | 50% outside quota | None |
| Alloy strip, hot-dip galvanised, within the chemical definition | 7226 99 30 30 | 50% outside quota | 27.90% residual; 0% to 27.90% named |
| Alloy strip, painted or plastic-coated, other | 7226 99 70 91 | 50% outside quota | Anti-dumping 13.60% residual, 0% to 26.1% named; countervailing 44.70% residual, 13.70% to 29.70% named; to 4 May 2029 |
Electrical steel for motors and transformers
Grain-oriented electrical steel is used for transformer cores and non-oriented steel for motor and generator laminations. The tariff splits grain-oriented strip by width, thickness and maximum core loss, so the mill certificate should state the grade, thickness, core loss at the stated test condition and the insulation coating. Specify grain-oriented steel to BS EN 10107 and non-oriented steel to BS EN 10106, or to the grade names in your drawing.
Most electrical steel lines carried 0% duty with no steel measure, but hot-rolled silicon-electrical strip is inside the measure, so confirm how the strip is finished. Transformers themselves are covered in our power supplies and transformers guide.
Tool, spring and other alloy strip
Hardened or hardenable alloy strip for blades, springs and stampings is bought by grade and condition. Specify cold-rolled narrow strip for heat treatment to BS EN 10132, tool steels to BS EN ISO 4957, and the thickness, width and flatness tolerances, edge condition and surface finish, with a BS EN 10204 type 3.1 inspection certificate giving the heat number, chemistry and mechanical properties.
Stainless strip is a different heading, in our stainless steel strip guide, and non-alloy coated strip is in the narrow coated steel strip guide. Confirm the commodity code, because a hot-rolled strip pays 50% outside quota while the same grade cold-rolled pays 0%.
Worked duty example
A hypothetical order, not a quote: 10 tonnes of hot-rolled alloy strip under 4.75 mm, under 7226 91 99 00, from an exporter without its own rate, bought for £9,000 free on board with £1,000 of freight and insurance, so the customs value is £10,000. Within the steel quota the ordinary duty is 0%, the residual anti-dumping duty is 0% and the countervailing duty of 35.90% is £3,590, so import VAT is 20% of £13,590, which is £2,718. Once the quota is used up, the 50% steel duty adds £5,000, so duties total £8,590 and VAT rises to 20% of £18,590, £3,718. The same strip cold-rolled under 7226 92 00 90 would pay 0% duty and £2,000 VAT. See UK import duty and VAT.
What goes wrong
Alloy strip imports go wrong on classification: strip declared as cold-rolled when it is only hot-rolled, electrical steel whose core loss does not support the declared line, and coated strip declared outside the chemical definition without evidence. Technical failures follow: chemistry at the edge of the grade, core loss above the guaranteed value, insulation coating damage, and width, camber or flatness out of tolerance after slitting.
Match the mill certificate to the line, check quota balance before shipping, have core loss or hardness tested on samples by an independent lab where it matters, and measure dimensions and flatness at inspection. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources alloy and electrical steel strip for UK manufacturers, starting with the mill's grade capability, certificates and testing. See how we verify a mill before you order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on electrical steel strip from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, 0% for grain-oriented strip and for other silicon-electrical strip that is not only hot-rolled, with no steel measure; hot-rolled silicon-electrical strip pays 50% outside quota.
Is cold-rolled alloy steel strip under the steel measure?
No. Other alloy strip only cold-rolled, 7226 92, carried 0% with no steel measure; hot-rolled strip of 7226 91 carried 50% outside quota.
Is there countervailing duty on hot-rolled alloy strip?
Yes, on the lines of the hot-rolled flat products measures: 35.90% for exporters not named, until 6 April 2027.
What certificate should alloy strip come with?
A BS EN 10204 type 3.1 inspection certificate with the heat number, chemistry and mechanical properties, and for electrical steel the core loss.