From October 1, 2026, importers of affected steel products in the EU must specify in which country the raw steel was melted and initially cast. The rule is often referred to as "melt and pour." It is intended to prevent circumvention practices and make the origin of steel more traceable.
The most important document is the Mill Test Certificate. It must contain the melting and casting country as well as the heat number. If this information is missing, customs authorities can accept additional documents during a transition period.
Until the end of September 2027, certain documents such as invoices, delivery notes, quality certificates, supplier declarations, production records, or export customs documents can serve as supplementary or standalone proof under specific conditions. From October 1, 2027, these documents are only intended to supplement the mill test certificate.
The requirement applies to steel products that fall under the new EU steel regulation. Therefore, the tariff classification number must first be checked. Not every metal product is automatically subject to the requirement. If the goods are covered and proof is missing, customs can reject the import.
For freight forwarders, the risk lies in the documentation chain. The information must flow from the steel mill through traders and sellers to the EU importer. A simple statement such as "origin Turkey" or "shipment from China" is not necessarily sufficient, because country of origin, shipment country, and melting country can differ.