The EU increased imports of flat rolled products by 6.4% y/y in 2025

In 2025, 23.06 million tons of flat steel products from third countries were shipped to the European Union (EU) market, which is 6.4% more than in 2024. Import volumes are growing for the second year in a row after a decline in 2022-2023.

Flat hot-rolled products classified under HS code 7208 traditionally account for the largest share of shipments, totaling 11.48 million tons compared with 10.81 million tons a year earlier, up 6.2% y/yа. Another 6.42 million tons of imports are coated flat products (HS 7210). This is 4.7% more than in 2024. Cold-rolled flat products (HS 7209) were among the three most popular goods, accounting for 2.47 million tons (+1% y/y).

During 2025, the EU market also saw significant growth in imports of flat-rolled products of corrosion-resistant steel (HS 7219) – by 24.7% y/y, to 1.03 million tons, and flat-rolled products of other alloy steels – by 18.9% y/y, to 1.32 million tons.

The key suppliers of these products were South Korea, Turkey, and India. Imports from South Korea grew by 1% y/y – to 3.24 million tons, the highest figure in at least the last five years. The largest volumes of supplies were hot-rolled flat products – 1.29 million tons (-12.2% y/y) and coated flat products – 1.08 million tons (+4.8% y/y).

Last year, Turkey exported 3.28 million tons of flat rolled products to the EU (+26.9%), the highest since 2021 (3.53 million tons). More than 64% of imported products are flat hot-rolled products – 2.1 million tons (+48.6% y/y), which shows significant growth.

Imports from India, meanwhile, slowed down in 2025 by 29% y-o-y, to 2.26 million tons. This is the lowest figure since 2021. The reason for the slowdown is a drop in supplies of flat hot-rolled products by more than 50% y/y, to 789,600 tons. A significant decline is recorded in the segment of coated flat products – by 18% y/y, to 832,330 tons.

Taiwan and Vietnam exported 1.93 million tons (-14.1% y/y) and 1.75 million tons (-18.8% y/y) of flat products to European consumers, respectively. Shipments from China increased by 20.6% y/y – to 1.73 million tons. Chinese and Vietnamese producers shipped mostly coated flat products – 936.57 thousand tons (-8% y/y) and 1.03 million tons (-15.3% y/y), respectively. Taiwan divided its shipments between coated flat products and hot-rolled flat products – 701,950 tons (+19.8% y/y) and 516,650 tons (-36.8% y/y), respectively.

Ukraine shipped 1.57 million tons of flat rolled products to the European market, up 17.6% compared with 2024. Nearly the entire volume consisted of hot-rolled flat products, which totaled 1.31 million tons, an increase of 15.5% y/y.

Indonesia became a new significant supplier of flat-rolled steel to the EU. Over the past year, supplies from this direction increased 3.1 times y/y to 2.19 million tons. At the same time, in 2020, this volume was at the level of 227,900 tons, gradually increasing to 701,000 tons in 2024.

The rapid growth in Indonesian supplies was particularly evident in the fourth quarter, when the country accounted for 26% of total HRC imports into the EU. Together with Malaysia, which is also exempt from tariff quotas, ASEAN suppliers shipped about 1 million tons of coils to the EU in October-December alone. Indonesian material was the cheapest on the market, which put pressure on EU prices and offers from other exporters. In fact, every second ton of HRC imported in November and every third ton in December 2025 was of Indonesian origin.

Given the planned 42% reduction in import quotas from July 2026 and the abolition of exemptions, pressure on the market is likely to intensify, as Indonesian suppliers remain highly price competitive even if quotas are exceeded.

«The European steel market has always been highly dependent on imports of flat rolled products. The main reasons for this in recent years have been underinvestment in the largest European integrated steel mills and systematically high electricity prices for industrial producers. The trade restrictions to be introduced in mid-2026 will not affect these reasons, but will only increase prices for steel consumers,» comments Stanislav Zinchenko, CEO of GMK Center.

Among the EU countries that are the largest importers of flat rolled products from outside the bloc are: Italy – 6.92 million tons, Belgium – 4.12 million tons, and Spain – 3.93 million tons.