Canada Introduces Conditional Aluminum Reporting Requirements
In a Customs Notice 26-15, published on June 23, 2026, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC) announced proposed changes to aluminum import reporting under General Import Permit (GIP) 83. The country of largest smelt, country of second-largest smelt, and country of most recent cast are initially optional data elements. However, once the regulatory changes enter into force on October 1, 2026, these data elements will become conditional reporting requirements for GIP 83. New component codes will be added to Integrated Import Declaration reporting to support the change. Customs Self-Assessment (CSA) importers remain exempt where applicable. Further guidance is expected ahead of implementation from CBSA.
EU: New exemptions in EU rules on battery replacement
The European Commission has adopted a delegated act and guidelines that introduce new exemptions from the general requirements for the easy removal and replacement of portable batteries by consumers. The list of exemptions has been expanded to include six new product categories, including wearables (e.g. smartwatches, activity trackers), electrical toys and equipment designed to work in explosive atmospheres. These changes are of key importance for electronics and ICT manufacturers in terms of product compliance , requiring the adaptation of the design of devices to the new guidelines. Electronics trading companies should pay attention to the update of the Commission's guidelines, which makes it easier for manufacturers to apply the new rules correctly. The rules will enter into force 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal of the EU, unless the European Parliament or the Council objects.
EU: New rules to protect EU steel industry from damaging impacts of global overcapacity enter into application
A new regulation that protects the EU steel sector from the damaging impacts of global overcapacity enters into application on 1 July 2026. This represents a vital step towards ensuring the long-term viability of a strategically crucial European industry.
As part of these new rules, the European Commission published today the implementing regulation setting out the distribution of tariff quotas to the EU's trading partners The new system – comprising reduced overall tariff quotas and a higher out-of-quota duty – aims to protect the EU's steel industry following the expiry of the EU's steel safeguard.
The distribution of tariff quotas is based on a set of clearly defined criteria in the EU's new Steel Regulation. It ensures a predictable level of access to the EU market for third-country suppliers through a fair and objective methodology, ensuring also diversity of supply for EU downstream users.
The implementing regulation seeks to minimise as much as possible the impact of the EU's Steel Regulation on its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners, without compromising the measure's effectiveness - 80% of EU imports of steel come from FTA partners.
Half of the EU's annual import quota – set at 18.3 million tonnes by the Steel Regulation – has been reserved exclusively for preferential trading (FTA) partners, with the remaining half available to all trading partners without discrimination, including FTA partners.
The EU's FTA partners will, therefore, retain a significantly higher share of EU market access than the average reduction of 47% foreseen by the Steel Regulation.
The EU has addressed the concerns of its trading partners through constructive discussions at the WTO (Article XXVIII GATT negotiations), with a significant number of partners provisionally agreeing to their allocated quotas as a result.
EU Issues Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
On August 12, 2026, the European Union (EU) Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Regulation (EU) 2025/40, will take effect.
The regulation entered into force in February 2025 and introduces harmonized packaging rules across all EU Member States. The PPWR aims to reduce packaging waste, improve recyclability, increase the use of recycled content, and promote reusable packaging solutions throughout the EU market.
Importers placing packaged goods on the EU market will have enhanced responsibilities including ensuring packaging compliance, maintaining technical documentation, verifying supplier information, and providing a Declaration of Conformity where required.
EU Commission Issues New Tariff Measures
On 30 June 2026, the European Commission published Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 and Regulation (EU) 2026/1461, which remove the remaining European Union (EU) customs duties on United States (US) industrial goods, introduce preferential access for certain US seafood and non-sensitive agricultural products thought tariff-rate quotas and reduced tariffs, and extend the suspension of duties on imports of lobster.
To benefit from the adjusted customs duties under Regulation (EU) 2026/1455, EU importers must comply with the requirements established in article 59a of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447 (the Union Customs Code Implementing Act):
- Goods must be directly transported from the US to the EU or, if transiting through a third country, remain unaltered; and
- Importers must have "sufficient evidence" demonstrating that the goods originated in the US.
According to a Question and Answer (Q&A) document on Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447, EU importers are "advised to ask the US exporters for the respective evidence". If evidence is not available, the adjusted customs duties cannot be claimed by importers.
The regulations entered into force on 30 June 2026.
European Union: Cross-border shipments of waste: Amending EU rules on municipal waste
Regulation (EU) 2026/1703 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 July 2026 has been published in the Official Journal of the EU, which introduces a material amendment to Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 on shipments of waste. The new legal framework modifies the existing strict ban on the export outside the EU of mixed municipal waste intended for recovery, introducing an absolute exception for Switzerland. For the electronics sector, the point amendment sets an important precedent in the EU's environmental policy, demonstrating the desire to maintain the fluidity of proven, cross-border logistics chains. For compliance and audit teams, the implementation of this regulation requires updating maps of cross-border procedures and due diligence procedures in waste management, taking into account the fact that existing shipment approvals remain valid for a maximum of one year. The regulation enters into force on 30 July 2026, is binding in its entirety and is directly applicable in all Member States.
European Union: Commission upgrades import monitoring mechanism
The Commission has upgraded its import monitoring mechanism to identify harmful trade shifts earlier and respond more effectively. By combining import data with market intelligence, the enhanced system strengthens transparency, supports evidence-based trade policy and helps protect EU industry and the integrity of the single market.
EU trade relations with developing countries continue to create sustainable economic growth
The EC and the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy published a new joint report on the implementation of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) – the EU's main trade policy tool to support developing countries' exports to the bloc. The report confirms that the system continues contributing to economic progress and sustainable development in beneficiary countries.
European Union: Approval for non-EU components as part of assistance to Ukraine
The European Commission adopted Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1793 of 16 July 2026, which approves derogations from Regulation (EU) 2026/467 as regards the conditions for the eligibility of defence-related products for financial assistance to Ukraine. This decision allows for the financing of components originating from outside the Union, the EEA-EFTA countries and Ukraine if they are urgently needed to respond to Russia's war of aggression and there are no equivalent, rapidly available alternatives. From the perspective of the electronics sector, this regulation is of significant importance, as it concerns, among other things, the acquisition of specialized technological components necessary in military equipment. For compliance and international trade professionals, this means that it is necessary to keep track of exceptions to the restrictive rules of origin of goods when executing defence contracts. The decision enters into force on 18 July 2026.
EU-Turkey Trade: Mutual Recognition of AEO Status Will Streamline Logistics
The EU-Turkey Customs Cooperation Committee has adopted a landmark Decision on the mutual recognition of national Authorized Economic Operator (AEO MRA) programs, which will significantly strengthen existing customs cooperation. This agreement is set to take effect once a structured data exchange on operator status is established, allowing customs authorities to factor in Authorized Economic Operator status in risk analysis and when determining the level of border controls. For the electronics and ICT sectors, which are heavily dependent on the continuity of supply and Turkish assembly hubs, this agreement will result in a noticeable reduction in clearance times and increase logistical stability. From the perspective of international trade and procurement specialists, these simplifications provide a practical tool for reducing operating costs within the existing customs union covering industrial products. For compliance departments, this publication means the need to verify the AEO status of their trading partners in Turkey and to prepare for the implementation of new guidelines and explanatory materials announced by the European Commission.
European Union: New rules to protect EU steel industry from damaging impacts of global overcapacity enter into application
A new regulation that protects the EU steel sector from the damaging impacts of global overcapacity entered into application on 1 July 2026. The new system of tariff quotas aims to safeguard a strategically important European industry while ensuring predictable market access for trading partners, including by minimising impacts on the EU’s Free Trade Agreement partners.
Digitalisation of EU customs procedures: New rules for documenting the non-preferential origin of goods
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1422 of 25 June 2026, which modifies the EU Customs Code as regards the procedures for proofs of non-preferential origin, has been published in the Official Journal of the EU. The new rules formally sanction and implement the handling of electronic certificates of origin and the exchange of information within the ELAN digital system. For entities from the electronics and ICT sector, this act – by adding Article 59a – introduces a strict mechanism for verifying deliveries related to the tariff reset from the US (Regulation 2026/1455), requiring proof of direct transport or remaining under constant customs supervision in transit countries. From the perspective of sales departments, this means the need to fully document the integrity and non-modification of shipments at every stage of the supply chain. For compliance divisions , on the other hand, the amendment gives rise to an immediate obligation to audit databases, implement systems for verifying the authenticity of e-certificates (security codes) and strictly supervise the 6-month deadline for control procedures conducted by customs offices. The regulation enters into force on 1 July 2026 and is directly applicable in all Member States.
EU's border sealing for low-value parcels enters into force
The European Commission has reminded of the introduction of a temporary, fixed customs duty of EUR 3 on low-value shipments (up to EUR 150) imported from outside the EU, mainly through e-commerce platforms, from 1 July 2026. The new duty will be charged for each item classified under a separate tariff code, and not on the total number of pieces, which means that the purchase of, for example, cables and a charger in one package will generate a multiple fee. For entities from the electronics and ICT sectors , this regulation completely changes the structure of costs of small procurements, eliminating the current price advantage of Asian suppliers over EU distributors of components. From the perspective of sales and purchasing departments, the new regulations force an immediate revision of the logistics strategy and the consolidation of orders for small components in order to avoid recurring fixed fees. For compliance professionals, the implementation of these regulations entails the obligation to audit suppliers' customs procedures (End-to-End) and monitor the correctness of tariff classification to ensure full compliance and transparency of declarations. The new regulations enter into force on 1 July 2026.
European Union: National RoHS amendment: Important changes to the lead exemptions from 1 July 2026
The Regulation of the Minister of Finance and Economy of 30 June 2026 (item 877) have been published in the Journal of Laws, which adapts the Polish RoHS regulations to the latest EU delegated directives on the restriction of the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The new regulation formally introduces into the national legal system key, temporary exemptions for the use of lead, m.in. in solder alloys with a high melting point, glass or ceramic components, and as an alloying element in copper, steel and aluminium. For the electronics and ICT sectors, the implementation of these regulations is an important trade boost, as the removal of technical barriers enables the legal continuation of production processes, facilitates international trade in components and prevents interruptions in supply chains. However, from the perspective of compliance and trade specialists, this amendment creates an obligation to audit technical documentation and conformity assessment procedures, with particular emphasis on the expiry dates of individual exemptions precisely defined by the EU (set mainly for the years 2026–2027). This update forces legal departments to evolve monitoring of alternative lead-free technologies in order to maintain the continued compliance of products with EU internal market law. The regulation enters into force on 1 July 2026.
EU and China are establishing a mechanism to monitor trade and stabilise supply chains
Maroš Šefčovič, the EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, and Wang Wentao, China’s Minister of Commerce, launched the first meeting under the Trade and Investment Consultations (TIC) in Brussels. To manage trade tensions and improve transparency, both sides agreed to establish a joint monitoring mechanism for the ongoing exchange of data and identified four key areas of work: trade balancing, export controls, intellectual property rights (IPR) and WTO reform. Of fundamental importance to the electronics and ICT sector is the declared intention to strengthen dialogue on export controls for rare-earth metals and other critical raw materials, which has a crucial impact on the stability of global component supply chains. From the perspective of trade specialists, the commencement of an exchange of lists of market access issues and discussions on bilateral tariff and non-tariff initiatives is a significant development. For compliance departments, the announcement of closer cooperation on systemic protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, as well as the exchange of information on licensing policies, means they will need to monitor upcoming regulatory changes. The next ministerial-level meeting, to assess the results of officials’ work, is scheduled for autumn 2026.
Global Partnership for the Reconstruction of Ukraine: the EU opens tenders worth billions to the US, Canada, Japan and the UK
The European Commission has issued a series of twin implementing decisions approving requests from the United States, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom for reciprocal access to procurement, grant and prize procedures under the EU’s Instrument for Ukraine. These agreements, granted for a period of one year from 23 July 2026, open up the EU’s aid budget of up to 50 billion euros to entities from these countries on the basis of full reciprocity. For the electronics and ICT sector, this global coordination gives the green light to the formation of international consortia and ensures a level playing field in tenders for the modernisation of Ukraine’s digital, telecommunications and security infrastructure. From a trade specialist’s perspective, this represents a strategic opportunity to participate in large-scale projects for the supply of advanced equipment, supported by integrated capital from the G7 countries. Compliance departments, in turn, should incorporate the new, multilateral legal framework into their partner verification procedures (KYC) and adapt their tendering systems to ensure simultaneous compliance with both EU regulations and the laws of partner countries in joint procurement processes.
United States: BIS Changes Export Controls for UAE
On July 14, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a final rule in the Federal Register announcing enhanced favorable treatment for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This rule removes the UAE from Country Groups D:3 and D:4 and adds it to Country Group A:5.
This change makes additional license exceptions available and provides the UAE Government and certain approved commercial entities with "license-free access to advanced computing items". The rule became effective on July 10, 2026.
United States: OFAC Revokes Iran General License
On July 7, 2026, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License (GL) X1 which revokes a previously issued "authorization for the production, deliver and sale of crude oil, petrochemical products, and petroleum products" from Iran.
GL X1 revokes and supersedes General License X, dated June 21, 2026. All transactions that are "ordinarily incident and necessary to the wind down of transactions previously authorized by General License X are authorized through July 17, 2026." General License X authorized transactions that are "ordinarily incident and necessary to the production, sale, delivery, or offloading of crude oil, petrochemical products, or petroleum products of Iranian origin". General License X1 is effective as of July 7, 2026.