Belarus benefits from EU rebar quota

Belarus sold 102,408t of rebar into the EU in the second quarter of this year, up from 81,744t in the first quarter and almost double the 51,487t it imported in the second quarter of 2018, trade data show.

Belarus is not subject to an individual country quota so it can import material under the other countries' quota, which opened on 1 April with 140,802t. Today the remaining quota stood at 19,792t, with 651t awaiting allocation.

This means that Belarus accounted for about 73pc of the other countries' quota as of June, the last month for which trade data are available.

Unlike the individual countries' quotas, which renew on 1 April 2020, the other countries' quota renews quarterly, meaning Belarus and others will have access to a further 140,802t of rebar imports to the EU as of 1 October 2019.

If Belarus' rebar imports continue at the same pace, it stands to import about 410,000t of the 563,208t available in the other countries' quota. This is more than even Turkey or Russia, which have individual quotas of 301,537t and 241,998t, respectively, over the same period.

Despite being in only the seventh month of the year-long quota, Turkey's supply is dwindling: it has only 30,284t remaining, with 996t awaiting allocation. Should it exceed the quota, 25pc duties will be payable.

Russia has not used its quota as quickly this time, with 125,288t available and 1,193t awaiting allocation.

Three other countries — Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Moldova — have individual quotas. As of today, Ukraine has 61,341t available and 338t awaiting allocation, Bosnia and Herzegovina has 80,581t remaining and 1,714t awaiting allocation, and Moldova has 53,590t available with 43t awaiting allocation.