EU reduced DRI imports by 15% y/y in 1H2025

In January-June 2025, the European Union reduced imports of direct reduced iron (DRI) by 15.2% compared to the same period in 2024, to 1.14 million tons. This is evidenced by GMK Center calculations based on Eurostat data.

The main importers of direct reduced iron among EU countries at the end of the period are Italy, Spain, and Austria, in particular:

• Italy – 596.81 thousand tons (+76.1% y/y);
• Austria – 173.11 thousand tons (+22.1% y/y);
• Spain – 127.71 thousand tons (+16.4% y/y).

The almost complete cessation of imports by Germany and the Netherlands had a negative impact on import volumes. In particular, 342.45 thousand tons of DRI were shipped to the German market in January-June 2024, while this year only 25.62 thousand tons were shipped, and 122.09 thousand tons were shipped to the Netherlands, compared to 42.35 thousand tons in the first six months of 2025. At the same time, a sharp increase in imports by Italian metallurgists and moderate growth in demand from other key consumers limited a deeper decline in the indicator.

Russia is the largest supplier of DRI to the European Union. In January-June, Russian companies shipped 374.18 thousand tons of direct reduced iron to European consumers, which is 35.4% less than in the same period last year.

The main importers of Russian products are Italy (233,440 tons, down 25.7% year-on-year) and Poland (54,990 tons, down 33.9% year-on-year). Belgium and Italy each imported 42,000 tons of DRI.

Libya shipped 156.52 thousand tons of DRI to the EU in six months, reducing the figure by 36.2% y-o-y. Venezuela exported 358.3 thousand tons of the corresponding products to the European Union (+5.5 times y-o-y). Supplies from Venezuela are showing significant growth, indicating a reorientation of supply chains. In 2023, 133 thousand tons of DRI were imported from this direction, and in 2024 – 293.98 thousand tons. The US sent 193.83 thousand tons of products to the EU (-1.1% y/y).

In June, the EU imported 137.49 thousand tons of DRI, which is 17.4% less y/y and 33% less m/m.

Russia exported 20.99 thousand tons of raw materials to the EU during the month (-59.9% y/y; -81.2% m/m), while Libya did not supply any products in June. Venezuela exported 86.04 thousand tons during the month, and the US exported 27.81 thousand tons (-10.3% month-on-month; -8.8% year-on-year).

As GMK Center reported earlier, at the end of 2024, the EU increased its imports of direct reduced iron from third countries by 5.4% compared to 2023, to 2.75 million tons. In 2023, there was an 11.1% y/y decline. The largest importers of DRI among EU member states last year were: Italy – 659.73 thousand tons (-23.7% y/y), the Netherlands – 527.27 thousand tons (+423%), Germany – 438.46 thousand tons (-33.5%).

The key suppliers of DRI to the EU in 2024 were traditionally Russia, Libya, the US, Venezuela, and Canada. These countries account for about 85% of raw material supplies to the bloc, with Russia accounting for 38%.