The EU reduced exports of long steel products by 13.5% y/y in 2025

In 2025, EU steel companies had reduced exports of long steel products to third countries by 13.5% compared to 2024, down to 5.50 million tons. After growing by 3.6% y/y in 2024 and by 4.6% in 2023, the figure returned to a downward trend. The main pressure on exports came from a decrease in shipments of basic long products to key foreign markets.

The largest export volumes in 2025 were accounted for by angles, shapes, and special sections of non-alloy steel (HS 7216) — 1.87 million tons, down 12.5% y/y. Another 914,980 metric tons (-29.2% y/y) consisted of other carbon steel bars and rods, not further worked, twisted (HS 7214), and 886,310 tons (-24.5% y/y) consisted of hot-rolled bars and rods made of carbon steel, in coils (HS 7213).

The export structure also included segments showing growth: volumes of carbon steel wire (HS 7217) increased more than 10-fold, to 509,700 tons; other bars and profiles of corrosion-resistant steel (HS 7222) – nearly 9-fold, to 236,390 metric tons, and other bars and rods of other alloy steels (HS 7228) – more than sixfold, to 578,290 metric tons. However, this was insufficient to offset the decline in the traditionally largest categories.

The main destinations for long steel exports from the EU in 2025 remained the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, the United States, Turkey, and Norway. Shipments to the United Kingdom totaled 1.09 million tons, down 24.1% year-on-year. Profiles and wire rod accounted for the bulk of the shipments.

Switzerland increased imports by 29.7% y/y, to 975,710 tons, becoming the second-largest market. Exports to Canada rose by 11.5% year-on-year to 410,090 tons, while exports to the United States fell by 35.4% y/y – to 575,550 tons, and to Turkey by 25.5% – to 343,460 tons. Shipments to Norway increased by 9% y/y, to 192,220 metric tons. In 2025, 40,720 metric tons of long products were exported to Ukraine, which is 4% more y/y.

Germany, Spain, and Italy remained the key exporters of long products among EU countries. In 2025, Germany exported 1.21 million tons of such products (-19% year-on-year), Spain – 1.27 million tons (-11.6% year-on-year), and Italy – 929,750 tons (-11.2% year-on-year). These countries accounted for a significant portion of the bloc’s exports.

Overall, in 2025, European exports of long products began to decline again after a brief recovery in 2023–2024. The decline in core segments indicates weaker demand in traditional markets, while growth in certain specialized categories is not yet sufficient to determine the overall trend.

In the near term, export prospects will depend on demand in the UK, Switzerland, Canada, and the US, as well as on the ability of European producers to maintain their competitive positions amid high costs and a volatile external market.

“The dependence of European long steel exports on a few markets and the state of steel consumption in those markets makes them highly vulnerable in an era of global geopolitical crisis, stagnation in developed economies, and rising protectionism. The decline in exports to the US is a clear indicator of this dependence. The outlook for long steel exports from the EU remains very uncertain against the backdrop of capacity growth in Southeast Asian countries,” noted Stanislav Zinchenko, CEO of GMK Center.