WTO safeguards: record 48 items and what to watch
The WTO Safeguards Committee set a record on 26 October. See which products are affected and how to check if your market is about to raise barriers.
Published on 3 November 2026Updated on 3 November 2026
Luis Sanz FiguerasFounder de Exporta.ai
Photo: Pexels
A safeguard is a temporary barrier a country puts on imports of a product when they hurt its industry. On 26 October 2026 the WTO Safeguards Committee reviewed measures on 39 products and logged 48 agenda items, a record. If you export steel, pork, pasta or other products to markets with open measures, check your tariff line and the deadlines of each investigation.
Source: OMC – Comité de SalvaguardiasData for 2026-10
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What happened at the WTO
The WTO Safeguards Committee met on 26 October 2026. It reviewed actions covering 39 products, 11 of which are steel or metal.
Switzerland noted that the Committee had 48 agenda items on safeguards, the highest number in its history. Since the April meeting, 18 members have notified new actions, making up almost 60% of those reviewed.
The notifications cited include those from Indonesia (4), Madagascar (8), Morocco (3), South Africa (5) and Turkey (3). Morocco and Turkey are common destinations for Spanish SMEs.
The Committee's next meeting will be the week of 26 April 2027.
Source: OMC – Comité de SalvaguardiasData for 2026-10
Steel and hybrid vehicles: the most debated topics
The EU steel safeguard expired and, in July 2026, the EU modified its tariff concessions on some steel products. Japan and Indonesia asked whether this approach is compatible with the Agreement on Safeguards. The EU replied that its new measure is not a safeguard.
The United Kingdom took the same path with steel after its safeguard expired, and Japan and South Korea voiced their reservations. The United Kingdom replied that its measure is not a safeguard either.
Several members also commented on reports of a possible EU safeguard investigation into certain hybrid electric vehicles. The EU said that, if it opens one, it will notify the Committee. For now there is no confirmed investigation.
Source: OMC – Comité de SalvaguardiasData for 2026-10
Food: pork in the Philippines and pasta in Zimbabwe
The Philippines opened a safeguard investigation into pork imports on 9 October 2026 and notified the WTO on 21 October. Interested parties must submit comments and evidence within five working days of publication of the notice, which is set by the Philippine authority.
Zimbabwe opened an investigation into certain pasta products on 18 September 2026 and notified it on 22 October. The 30-day deadlines to express interest and submit comments ran from the start and have already expired.
This is the pattern worth remembering: the WTO notification usually arrives weeks after the investigation begins, and the deadlines to take part may have run out by the time the exporter finds out. Those who do not respond in time risk the decision being made with the information available, without their side of the story.
Source: OMC – Filipinas inicia una investigación de salvaguardia sobre el cerdoData for 2026-10
What to do if you export to a market with safeguards
- 01
Find your tariff line
Look up your product's tariff code in the notifications of the markets you sell to. Safeguards apply by product, not by sector.
- 02
Check the start date, not the notification date
Deadlines to take part count from when the authority opens the investigation, which is usually earlier than the notice to the WTO.
- 03
Contact the investigating authority
WTO notices name the body and a contact. Ask how to register as an interested party and which questionnaire must be completed.
- 04
Recalculate the price with and without the measure
Prepare two scenarios for your buyer and review which Incoterm shares the cost of an additional duty best.
- 05
Watch the April 2027 meeting
The next Safeguards Committee will be the week of 26 April 2027; new notifications will be reviewed there.
Source: OMC – Comité de SalvaguardiasData for 2026-10
How Exporta helps you
With Exporta you can consult market reports by country and product, with the tariffs that apply to your tariff line and the competition at destination, to know whether a new measure changes your entry price.
With Find customers you locate importers and distributors in other markets while you rebalance your portfolio, and with the CRM you write to them from your own email. Xport, the Exporta assistant, helps you prepare the message and follow each conversation.
What is a safeguard measure?
It is a temporary restriction on imports of a product that a country applies when an increase in those imports harms its industry. Unlike anti-dumping, it is not aimed at a specific exporter: it applies to imports from all origins, with possible exemptions for developing countries.
Where are safeguards notified?
WTO members notify them to the Safeguards Committee. The WTO publishes a summary of each investigation initiation, with the dates and the contact of the investigating authority.
What happens if I do not respond to an investigation in time?
The authority may decide on the best information available, which is usually that provided by the local industry. That is why it is worth registering as an interested party as soon as the investigation becomes known.
Is there already an EU investigation into hybrid vehicles?
It is not confirmed. Several members commented at the WTO on reports of a possible investigation, and the EU said that, if it opens one, it will notify the Committee.
Check the tariffs on your product in your markets
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