Narrow coated steel strip from China
Coated non-alloy steel strip under 600 mm wide from China, heading 7212, pays 50% UK steel duty once quota is used up, and many lines add trade remedies: 49.98% residual anti-dumping on tinplate and chromium-coated strip, 27.90% on hot-dip galvanised and aluzinc strip within the chemical definition, and 13.60% plus 44.70% countervailing on painted strip. Cambridge China Bridge sources strip.
50% outside quota, and anti-dumping by line
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel less than 600 mm wide, clad, plated or coated, heading 7212, are all under the UK steel trade measure that replaced the safeguard on 1 July 2026: 50% duty on goods from China once the tariff quota is used up, 0% while it has volume. Unlike wide electro-galvanised sheet of 7210 30, which is outside the measure, narrow electro-galvanised strip of 7212 20 is inside it. 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.
The same anti-dumping and countervailing measures that apply to wide coated sheet also reach many narrow lines. Tinplate, tin-coated and chromium-coated strip carry 49.98% for exporters not named, and one named producer group 27.85%, until 12 March 2031. Hot-dip galvanised and aluminium-zinc coated strip within the chemical definitions, and magnesium-zinc coated strip, carry 27.90% residual. Painted or plastic-coated non-alloy strip carries 13.60% anti-dumping and 44.70% countervailing duty for exporters not named, until 4 May 2029. Named rates apply only with the invoice the measure requires. Copper-plated, nickel-plated and clad strip, and zinc-coated strip outside the chemical definition, carry none.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tinplate, surface-treated only | 7212 10 10 00 | 50% outside quota | 49.98% residual; 27.85% one named group; to 12 Mar 2031 |
| Electrolytically zinc-coated, over 500 mm, surface-treated only | 7212 20 00 11 | 50% outside quota | None |
| Electrolytically zinc-coated, 500 mm or less | 7212 20 00 90 | 50% outside quota | None |
| Hot-dip galvanised, within the chemical definition | 7212 30 00 30 | 50% outside quota | 27.90% residual; 0% to 27.90% named |
| Otherwise zinc-coated, other | 7212 30 00 90 | 50% outside quota | None |
| Painted or plastic-coated non-alloy strip, over 500 mm, surface-treated only | 7212 40 80 01 | 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 |
| Painted or plastic-coated non-alloy strip, 500 mm or less | 7212 40 80 82 | 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 |
| Chromium or chromium oxide coated, 500 mm or less | 7212 50 20 90 | 50% outside quota | 49.98% residual; 27.85% one named group; to 12 Mar 2031 |
| Copper-plated, 500 mm or less | 7212 50 40 90 | 50% outside quota | None |
| Aluminium-zinc coated, within the chemical definition | 7212 50 61 30 | 50% outside quota | 27.90% residual; 0% to 27.90% named |
| Clad strip, over 500 mm, other | 7212 60 00 98 | 50% outside quota | None |
Classification decides the remedy
The ten-digit line depends on the coating, the width (over or not over 500 mm), whether the strip is only surface-treated, and for zinc and aluminium-zinc coatings on the steel's chemistry. The mill certificate must show the coating type and mass and the chemical composition, so the right line can be declared: galvanised strip inside the chemical definition carries 27.90% for an unnamed exporter, while strip outside it carries none.
Wide coated sheet of 600 mm or more is heading 7210, in our coated steel sheet guide, and stainless strip is in the stainless steel strip guide. UK trade remedies are made under the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018, so check the tariff for the exact line on the day you declare.
Specifying coated strip
Specify the product standard and grade, such as hot-dip coated strip to BS EN 10346, electrolytically zinc-coated strip to BS EN 10152, organic coated strip to BS EN 10169 or tinplate to BS EN 10202, with thickness and width tolerances, edge condition (mill or slit edge), coating mass per side, passivation or oiling, and coil weight and inner diameter. Slit coils need camber and burr limits written into the order.
Worked duty example
A hypothetical order, not a quote: 25 tonnes of pre-painted non-alloy steel strip, 300 mm wide, under 7212 40 80 82, from an exporter without its own rate, bought for £21,000 free on board with £2,000 of freight and insurance, so the customs value is £23,000. Within the steel quota the ordinary duty is 0%, but anti-dumping of 13.60% (£3,128) and countervailing duty of 44.70% (£10,281) still apply, and import VAT is 20% of £36,409, which is £7,281.80. Once the quota is used up, the 50% steel duty adds £11,500, so duties total £24,909 and VAT rises to 20% of £47,909, £9,581.80. See UK import duty and VAT for the method.
What goes wrong
The costliest failures are on duty: strip declared on a line that does not match its coating, width or chemistry, the quarter's quota used up before arrival so 50% applies, and invoices without the declaration a named producer's lower rate requires. Technical failures follow: coating mass below specification, white rust from damp storage, paint adhesion failing on forming, and slit edges with burrs or camber.
Match the mill certificate to the line, check quota balance with your broker before shipping, confirm the invoice wording with the producer, and at inspection measure coating mass, thickness, width and camber on samples. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources coated steel strip for UK fabricators and component makers, checking the mill's certificates and the trade remedy position before an order. See how we verify a mill before you order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on galvanised steel strip from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, 50% once the steel quota is used up, and 27.90% residual anti-dumping on hot-dip galvanised strip within the chemical definition.
Is narrow electro-galvanised strip under the steel measure?
Yes. Unlike wide sheet of 7210 30, electrolytically zinc-coated strip of 7212 20 is under the steel measure, with no anti-dumping duty.
What duty applies to pre-painted steel strip?
Non-alloy painted or plastic-coated strip carried 13.60% residual anti-dumping and 44.70% residual countervailing duty, until 4 May 2029, on top of the steel measure.
Is tinplate strip subject to anti-dumping duty?
Yes. Tinplate and chromium-coated strip carried 49.98% for exporters not named, and 27.85% for one named producer group, until 12 March 2031.