The European Union on Tuesday revealed plans to double tariffs on imported steel and halve the volume allowed into the bloc. The EU said it will slash the tariff-free steel import quota by nearly 50% and impose a 50% tariff on shipments exceeding the new 18.3 million-ton threshold. This measure, which doubles the current 25% tariff, will affect major exporting nations such as China, India, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. However, neighboring countries, including Norway, Iceland, and Ukraine, will be exempt from the new rules. The initiative seeks to strengthen Europe’s steel industry by limiting the flow of low-cost imports…

Malaysia has earned over RM6 billion from durian exports to China over the past seven years, with the government now targeting new markets such as Taiwan and Peru to maintain growth. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) reported that between 2018 and June 2025, Malaysia exported 115,359 tons of durians to China, valued at RM6.37 billion, based on the issuance of phytosanitary certificates. “The ministry, through the Agriculture Department, is committed to exploring new opportunities and expanding our markets to Taiwan and Peru as well,” the ministry stated. The ministry reported a growing trend in durian exports to…

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva urged U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Monday to remove the 40% tariff the U.S. has placed on Brazilian imports. During the call, Lula invited Trump to attend the upcoming climate summit in Belém, as reported by Associated Press. Lula called the meeting a chance to ‘restore’ friendly ties between ‘the two largest Western democracies’ and emphasized that the U.S. holds a trade surplus with Brazil. He then called for a rollback of tariffs to the initial 10% rate and urged the removal of sanctions against certain Brazilian officials. Relations…

The UK steel industry is confronting its ‘biggest crisis in history,’ the industry’s trade association has warned, as the EU prepares to impose heavy tariffs that could exceed the impact of those previously introduced by the United States. According to a document seen by the Financial Times, the European Commission will propose a 50% tariff on global steel imports exceeding a quota based on 2013 levels, with the declaration expected on Tuesday. The move is expected to severely disrupt Britain’s steel industry, as 80% of its exports are destined for Europe. With U.S. steel tariffs still in force, industry insiders…

Argentina has introduced stricter export regulations for sorghum in an effort to boost shipments to China, a decision that could further strain its trade ties with the United States, which was once the leading supplier of the grain before tariffs disrupted global trade flows. The Agriculture Secretariat declared the changes on Friday, outlining new grading criteria focused on test weight, reduced levels of impurities, broken grains, and foreign material. Exports are now required to meet minimum weights of 72, 70, and 67 kilograms per hectolitre, based on the grade. Shipments that fall below these thresholds will no longer be eligible…

Pakistan and Malaysia on Monday agreed to enhance cooperation in trade, education, Halal certification, and anti-corruption initiatives, with Malaysia allocating a $200 million quota for Halal meat imports from Pakistan. “We covered a wide range of matters on bilateral relations and other international matters,” Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said. The development was revealed during Shehbaz Sharif’s three-day visit to Malaysia, where he held extensive talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. In a joint press conference, Ibrahim said Malaysia had already increased rice imports from Pakistan and is ready to import up to $200 million worth of meat under…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised concerns over Pakistan’s external trade figures, urging the government to resolve the inconsistencies of around $11 billion in import data reported by two state agencies over the past few fiscal years. According to The Express Tribune, import figures for the 2023–2024 fiscal year provided by the two separate agencies, Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) and Pakistan Single Window (PSW), showed a discrepancy of nearly $5.1 billion. PRAL reported import figures were $5.1 billion lower than the figures reported by PSW. In the subsequent year, the gap in import data grew to $5.7 billion,…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new import alert 99-52 on Friday after detecting cesium contamination in multiple shipments of shrimp and cloves from Indonesia. Effective October 31, the import alert will apply specifically to shrimp and spice products sourced from Java Island and Lampung province in Sumatra. These items will only be permitted into the U.S. market if they are accompanied by official certification issued by the Indonesian government. “The FDA has made the determination that Cesium-137 (Cs-137) is a known safety risk in certain food from Indonesia and that there is a known safety risk…

The Netherlands’ highest court instructed the Dutch government on Friday to reassess the suspended license for exporting F-35 jet parts to Israel, amid concerns about potential violations of international law, according to a report by the Associated Press. The case was initially filed in late 2023 by three Dutch human rights organizations, who claimed that supplying F-35 parts implicates the Netherlands in potential war crimes committed by Israel in its conflict with Hamas. The Supreme Court stated that the export suspension will stay in effect as the government conducts a reassessment of the license. Vice-President Martijn Polak noted that the…

India is seeking to secure its first long-term (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) LPG supply deals with the United States, amid global disruptions caused by U.S. trade tensions, according to a report by Bloomberg. As per the report, India’s state-run oil companies intend to purchase up to three very large gas carriers of LPG per month from the United States starting 2026. These firms currently supply LPG to over 331 million households, with imports fulfilling more than 60% of the country’s demand. Traders noted that this marks the first instance of India pursuing a long-term supply deal with U.S. exporters, aligning with…