China to Implement Export License Management for Certain Steel Products

In order to strengthen the export management of steel products, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs jointly issued an announcement, incorporating certain steel products into the export license management catalog.

On December 12, 2025, the official website of the General Administration of Customs published Announcement No. 79 of 2025, jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs, announcing the implementation of export license management for certain steel products. The policy will officially take effect on January 1, 2026.

1.Key Policy Content

The announcement states that this adjustment is made in accordance with relevant laws and regulations such as the "Foreign Trade Law of the People's Republic of China" and the "Regulations on the Administration of Import and Export of Goods." The main adjustments include adding certain steel products to the "Catalog of Goods Subject to Export License Management (2025)." Foreign trade operators exporting the aforementioned goods must apply for an export license in accordance with regulations.

2.Export License Application Process

Enterprises applying for an export license need to prepare the following materials:

Export contract for the goods

Product quality inspection certificate issued by the manufacturer

The Ministry of Commerce and provincial-level local commerce authorities entrusted by it (including provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, cities with independent planning status, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps), as well as some sub-provincial-level city commerce authorities (Shenyang, Changchun, Harbin, Nanjing, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an), are responsible for issuing export licenses according to their respective divisions. Central state-owned enterprises supervised by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission in Beijing should apply to the License Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce. Other enterprises should apply to the commerce authorities of their respective provincial or sub-provincial-level cities.

3.Implementation Time and Detailed Rules

This announcement will officially take effect on January 1, 2026. Other unspecified matters will be implemented in accordance with the relevant provisions of Announcement No. 65 of 2024 jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs. The attachment to the announcement provides a detailed list of specific steel products subject to export license management. Relevant export enterprises are advised to review and prepare in advance.

As shown in the figure below:

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