The continued import of rebar and long products from third countries raises concerns among European manufacturers of electric steelmaking products due to the fact that the EU prioritizes the protection of flat products produced in blast furnaces, rather than long products produced in electric arc furnaces.
Many manufacturers of the electric steel industry believe that the purpose of both EU laws and subsidies is to protect the coal market and finance the decarbonization of blast furnaces.
Italian long products manufacturer Beltrame tells[b]Kallanish[/b]that, along with other EU steelmakers, it expressed concern to the European Union in a recent letter sent to Brussels asking for increased protection. However, their complaints have not yet received a concrete response.
"Flat products represent the best-preserved products in Europe", - says Carlo Beltrame, manager for France and Romania, as well as Chief Development Officer, in an interview with Kallanish.
The EU tariff quotas for rolled products are being used to a lesser extent, compared to which quotas were allocated for the thirsty this year. In accordance with the new quota system, which will come into force in June 2026, Europe has reduced quotas for rolled products, while maintaining existing quota levels for long products.
Maintaining blast furnace production in Europe is crucial, but unlike subsidies, as Beltrame notes, the EAF project, intended for blast furnace steel producers in Europe, does not receive any financial assistance.
According to Raffaele Ruella, the company's managing director, quotas for rebar and long products usually end at the beginning of each quarter. Beltrame. The countries of the Mediterranean basin are the main exporters, especially to Southern Europe. Many producers in Turkey are investing in decarbonization initiatives to maintain their presence in the European market; however, they are not required to disclose the origin of their billet, gas or other raw materials, and there are no environmental restrictions.
Taking advantage of the weakness of the dollar, Turkey, Egypt, other North African countries, as well as Asian countries including Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia and China, are dumping materials to Europe at competitive prices. Sometimes it's 200-300 dollars per ton cheaper than on the local market, Ruella adds.
Some varietal products from these countries face quality problems, and there are no import tracking mechanisms in Europe, which makes it impossible to verify their traceability. According to sources, a shipment was imported to Italy last month.
