🌐 Malaysia, US, Korea, EU — 4 Steel Trade Actions in 3 Weeks. The Global Compliance Net Is Closing.

The global steel trade landscape shifted again this month — and this time, the actions are coming from every direction.

Malaysia‘s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry confirmed on October 12, 2026 that eight of the country’s nine existing anti-dumping measures cover iron and steel products — including steel wire and galvanized iron or steel sheets. China‘s intermediate steel imports into Malaysia surged 41.2% year-on-year in the first eight months of 2026, triggering heightened regulatory scrutiny.

On October 5, 2026, the US Department of Commerce issued the final results of the fifth sunset review on cut-to-length carbon steel plate from China and Russia. Commerce determined that removing the duties would allow Chinese products to continue or recur at a dumping margin of 128.59%.

On October 23, 2026, Korea‘s Trade Commission voted to recommend anti-dumping duties of 22.34% to 33.67% on Chinese galvanized cold-rolled steel for five years, alongside price undertakings with 10 Chinese exporters. Korea also launched a dumping investigation into Chinese seamless steel pipes on October 8, with a preliminary determination scheduled for February 2027.

The EU‘s CBAM is entering a critical phase. The Commission, Council, and Parliament have each established positions on extending CBAM to approximately 180 downstream product types — predominantly steel- and aluminium-intensive goods such as screws, bolts, wire, tubes, and metal furniture — and strengthening anti-circumvention measures. The first political trilogue was scheduled for October 20, 2026.

The common thread across all four jurisdictions is traceability and documentation. Malaysia is scrutinizing intermediate goods. The US is maintaining punitive margins. Korea is imposing country-specific duties. The EU is expanding carbon border rules to downstream products. Without verified origin and carbon data, your steel will face barriers at every border.

📩 Contact CNB Group today. We provide full traceability documentation, melt-and-pour certificates, and CBAM-ready carbon footprint data. Get a compliance-ready quotation before your next shipment.