Government introducing temporary quotas for cement and steel imports

The Serbian government has adopted a Regulation on the introduction of a temporary measure to ensure the economic stability of industries of strategic importance, which limits the import of certain iron and steel products, as well as Portland cement, from January 1 to June 30, 2026.

The measure is being introduced for a period of six months and will be implemented through a tariff quota system, after which an additional 50% customs duty will be applied to imports of these products.

The regulation covers five product groups – Portland cement, hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel products, ribbed concrete steel and hot-rolled wire in coils, as well as ribbed concrete steel in bars. The total volume of the quotas is more than 420,000 tons, of which the largest part is intended for the import of cement – 250,350 tons.

The quotas are divided into sub-quotas by country and customs territory, in accordance with the share in total imports in the last five years. The largest part of the import quotas for cement and steel is reserved for the European Union, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and countries in the region.

In order to evenly supply the market, individual quotas are divided into quarterly maximums for the period from January 1 to March 31, or until June 30, 2026, with the possibility of transferring unused quota from the first to the second quarter.

The quota distribution will be carried out on a “first come - first served” basis, based on the order of acceptance of customs declarations, and the procedure will be carried out by the Customs Administration, which will report on imports on a monthly basis to the Ministry of Domestic and Foreign Trade.

Importers wishing to obtain preferential tariff treatment within the quotas will have to submit evidence of the preferential origin of the goods, in accordance with the applicable free trade agreements.

I. Z.

Vlada Republike Srbije

Government of Serbia

Regulation on the introduction of a temporary measure to ensure the economic stability of industries of strategic importance

Portland cement

hot rolled steel products

cold rolled steel products

ribbed concrete steel

hot rolled wire in coils