According to a report by the Economic Committee of the European Steel Manufacturers Association (EUROFER) "Economic and steel market prospects for 2025-2026/Q2 2025", the total volume of steel imports to the EU, including semi-finished products, decreased by nine percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025. During the same quarter, imports of rolled steel products to the EU decreased by four percent year-on-year, while imports of long products increased by seven percent and imports of finished steel products decreased by one percent year-on-year.
In the first quarter, Turkey, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, Ukraine and India were the main countries of origin of finished steel products imported into the EU. The first five countries accounted for 87 percent of the total volume of finished steel imports to the EU in the first three months. Turkey became the leading exporting country to the EU with a share of 16.4 percent, followed by South Korea with 13.5 percent, Vietnam with 10 percent, Taiwan with 8.8 percent and China with 8.3 percent.
In the period from January to March, imports of finished goods from China increased significantly – by 42 percent, while imports from South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam increased by 28 percent, 20 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Imports from India, Japan and Taiwan, on the contrary, decreased by 56%, 39% and three%, respectively.
According to the EUROFER report, the share of imports reached 27% of visible consumption, and the trade deficit with third countries increased during 2024.
Steelorbis.com
