China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and General Administration of Customs (GACC) have issued Announcement No. 79 of 2025, requiring export licences for approximately 300 steel products starting 1 January 2026. The regulation was officially published on 9 December 2025.
Regulatory Basis and Legal Framework
The announcement is issued under China’s Foreign Trade Law, the Regulation on the Administration of Import and Export of Goods, and the Measures for Export Licence Administration.
It updates the Catalogue of Goods Subject to Export License Administration (2025), adding steel products to the list of goods requiring government-issued export licences.
Steel Products Subject to Export Licence
The regulation covers roughly 300 steel products, including:
- Raw materials: pig iron, ferroalloys, scrap steel
- Semi-finished steel: billets, slabs
- Flat steel products: hot-rolled and cold-rolled coils
- Long steel products: rods, beams
- Steel pipes, fittings, and selected stainless steel items
The full product list is included in the official attachment to Announcement No. 79 of 2025.
Reasons for Reintroducing Export Licence Controls
China’s reintroduction of steel export licences, after 16 years, aims to:
- Manage increasing steel export volumes, which grew over 6% in 2025
- Address trade frictions and anti-dumping investigations abroad
- Improve product quality control and traceability for exported steel
- Promote higher-value, higher-quality steel production
This policy is part of China’s broader strategy to stabilize exports and enhance trade compliance.
Exporter Obligations
To comply with the new requirements, exporters must:
- Apply for an export licence before shipment
- Submit a product quality inspection certificate from the manufacturer
- File applications through provincial/municipal commerce authorities or the MOFCOM Licence Bureau for state-owned enterprises
- Ensure customs documentation matches the licence information
Non-compliance may result in delayed customs clearance or refusal of export.
Industry Implications and Recommendations
The new licence system is expected to:
- Moderate low-value steel exports
- Align exports with global trade norms
- Encourage production of higher-quality steel
Exporters should review the official product catalogue and prepare licence applications well before 1 January 2026.
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