Standards and Regulations
From 2026 onwards, the origin of steel imported into the European Union can no longer be determined solely by reference to the country from which the finished product is shipped. Regulation (EU) 2026/1384 introduces a new traceability criterion: the “country of melt and pour”, meaning the country in which the steel or iron was originally produced in liquid form and subsequently cast into its first solid state.
What does “melt and pour” mean?
The “melt and pour” criterion identifies the location where two fundamental stages of the steelmaking process take place: the initial production of steel or iron in liquid form within the furnace, followed by casting into its first solid state.
This first solid state may consist of a semi-finished product, such as a slab, billet or ingot, or directly of a finished mill product.
The criterion therefore makes it possible to trace the material further upstream in the production chain than would be possible by simply identifying the country of export or the country where the last substantial processing operation took place. A steel pipe, for example, may be processed or commercially supplied from a country other than the country in which the steel from which it was manufactured was originally melted and cast.
Why is the European Union introducing this criterion?
The measure forms part of the European Union’s new regulatory framework aimed at addressing the effects of global excess production capacity in the steel sector.
One of its objectives is to prevent steel originating in certain countries from entering the EU market after being processed, transhipped or re-exported through third countries, thereby obscuring its actual production origin.
The “melt and pour” requirement therefore introduces an additional layer of transparency into the steel supply chain. For companies, this means paying greater attention both to the actual origin of the material and to the continuity and integrity of the supporting documentation.
Mandatory requirement from 1 October 2026
Regulation (EU) 2026/1384 applies generally from 1 July 2026, while the specific provisions concerning the “melt and pour” requirement will apply from 1 October 2026.
From that date, when importing steel products covered by Annex I, importers will be required to provide appropriate and verifiable evidence of the country of melt and pour.
The European Commission is also required to adopt an implementing act by 31 August 2026 specifying in greater detail which documents may be accepted as evidence. The Commission has already consulted economic operators and industry associations with the aim of identifying reliable and proportionate solutions that are also workable for SMEs.
The role of the Mill Test Certificate
The Regulation expressly identifies the Mill Test Certificate, or MTC, as one of the documents that may potentially be used as supporting evidence.
A Mill Test Certificate normally accompanies the material and contains information relating to the manufacturer, steel grade, chemical composition, mechanical properties and the results of the applicable testing and inspection procedures.
Within the European steel supply chain, inspection documents issued in accordance with EN 10204 are particularly widespread, including EN 10204 Type 3.1 and Type 3.2 certificates.
Under the new regulatory framework, however, material certification assumes an additional function: it is no longer intended solely to demonstrate the technical characteristics and conformity of the product, but may also contribute to substantiating its actual steelmaking origin.
Heat number and traceability continuity
Another key element is the heat number, also referred to as the cast number. This unique identifier makes it possible to link a specific quantity of material to the heat from which it originated.
In industrial practice, the heat number provides the essential traceability link between the physical product and its associated technical documentation.
For pipes, fittings, flanges and components intended for industrial applications, the correct correlation between the material itself, product markings, heat numbers and inspection certificates is therefore set to become increasingly important.
Traceability can only be considered effective where this link is maintained consistently throughout all stages of the supply chain.
What changes for importers and distributors?
For companies importing steel or steel products into the European Union, the new requirements point towards increasingly upstream documentary verification.
Importers should therefore verify, already at the purchasing and order-placement stage, that their suppliers are able to provide the information and documentation required to establish the actual production origin of the material.
In practice, this may result in more stringent supplier qualification procedures, structured storage and management of Mill Test Certificates, and systematic verification of the correspondence between heat numbers, markings and supporting documentation.
Incomplete or inconsistent documentation may delay or complicate customs clearance and import operations.
Towards an increasingly transparent steel supply chain
The “melt and pour” requirement forms part of a broader regulatory evolution that is making the European steel supply chain increasingly transparent and traceable.
Material origin, technical characteristics, embedded emissions and the physical route followed by steel products throughout the supply chain are becoming increasingly significant factors within the European Union’s trade and industrial policies.
For a company such as Intertubi, which operates daily in the supply of steel pipes, fittings and components for industrial applications, material traceability has always represented a fundamental requirement.
Knowing not only what material is being purchased, but also where and how that material was manufactured, makes it possible to ensure greater transparency throughout the supply chain and to provide customers with increasingly comprehensive, technically accurate and verifiable information.
