In current European Standard EN 1993, the moment-rotation characteristics of beam-to-column joints made from steel with a yield stress > 460MPa are obtained from elastic design procedures. The strength of the joint basic components, such as the column web subject to local transverse compression, is thus limited to the yield resistance rather than the plastic resistance. With the recent developments of higher strength steel grades, the need for these restrictions should be revisited. However, as the strength of the steel is increased, the buckling characteristics become more significant and thus instability phenomena may govern the design. This paper summarizes a comprehensive set of finite element parametric studies pertaining to the strength behaviour of high-strength steel unstiffened I-columns in transverse compression. The paper outlines the implementation and validation of a three-dimensional finite element model and presents the relevant numerical test results. The finite element predictions are evaluated against the strength values anticipated by the EN 1993 for conventional steel columns and recommendations are made for revising the specifications.