Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Hassan El-Khatib, has issued a decree imposing temporary safeguard duties on hot-rolled steel imports for a period of 200 days at a rate of 13.6%, with a minimum of EGP 3,673 per ton.
The decision also includes a 16.2% duty on billet imports, with a minimum of EGP 4,613 per ton.
According to the decree, the measures will be published in the Official Gazette and come into effect starting next Sunday. The Ministry of Investment stated in an official release that these duties aim to protect Egypt’s domestic industry from harmful trade practices.
Collection of the duties will be carried out through account number 47/80/4880 at the Central Bank of Egypt, effective from the date of enforcement.
The decree is based on Law No. 161 of 1998 on the protection of the Egyptian economy from the adverse effects of harmful practices in international trade and its executive regulations, as well as the recommendations of the Advisory Committee and the memorandum of the Head of the Trade Remedies Sector dated September 10, 2025.
The government expects the duties to help support local mills, strengthen competitiveness, and curb the influx of billet imports at low prices that could harm Egyptian producers. The safeguard measures are temporary, pending final action after the 200-day period.
Background: Why did Egypt impose duties on billet imports?
In a letter to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Egyptian government explained that it launched an investigation into billet imports after receiving a request from domestic producers. Data analysis showed that imports surged by 643% in 2022 compared to 2021, then dropped slightly by 14% in 2023, before rising again by 227% in 2024.
Overall, imports increased by 1,976% between 2021 and 2024. The government described these increases as sudden, sharp, and significant, both in absolute volume and relative to local production, which justified the introduction of safeguard duties.
