EU steel exports to the US fell by 30% due to new tariffs imposed by Washington – EUROFER

The association calls for a balanced trade agreement and protection against indirect steel imports through finished goods

Steel exports from the European Union to the United States in the second half of 2025 fell by 30% compared to the same period in 2024 after the introduction of US tariffs of 50%. This was stated by the European Steel Association EUROFER, which emphasized that the situation underscores the need for a fair and effective trade agreement between the parties.

Additional pressure on the market is expected due to the expansion of the US tariff regime to products with a high steel content, in particular machinery and equipment. According to EUROFER Director General Axel Eggert, the decline in exports over six months is a clear signal of damage to European manufacturers and their customers.

The issue of tariffs will be key during discussions on the future EU-US agreement in the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade on February 24. The industry insists that the agreement must be reciprocal, predictable, and backed by response mechanisms in case high tariffs remain in place.

The risk of indirect steel imports through finished goods is an additional concern. According to worldsteel, steel imports into the EU as part of finished products rose from 96 million tons in 2014 to 121 million tons in 2024, while China’s indirect exports nearly doubled in five years to 137 million tons.

At the same time, the EU’s current protective measures on steel expire in June, so the new trade mechanism must be agreed upon by July 1. The industry emphasizes that it should cover not only rolled products but also steel-containing goods to prevent the redirection of global excess capacity to the European market.

It should be recalled that in January-August 2025, the European Union reduced exports of steel products to third countries by 8% compared to the same period last year. The decline primarily affected finished steel products, whose shipments fell by 9% y/y. Long products showed particularly weak dynamics, with exports falling by 15% y/y, while flat product sales decreased by 6% y/y.

The main export destinations were the United Kingdom, the United States, Turkey, Switzerland, and India.