The EU reduced imports of direct reduced iron by 24.8% y/y in January-August

In January-August 2025, the European Union reduced imports of direct reduced iron (DRI) by 24.8% compared to the same period in 2024, to 1.44 million tons. This is evidenced by GMK Center calculations based on Eurostat data.

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

• Italy – 683.59 thousand tons (+39.6% y/y);
• Austria – 237.87 thousand tons (+26.2% y/y);
• Spain – 172.99 thousand tons (+6.2% y/y).

A significant decline in imports by Germany and the Netherlands had a negative impact on import volumes. In particular, 417.36 thousand tons of DRI were shipped to the German market in January-August 2024, while this year only 25.63 thousand tons were shipped, and 261.22 thousand tons were shipped to the Netherlands, compared to 89.76 thousand tons in the first eight 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-August, Russian companies shipped 474.68 thousand tons of direct reduced iron to European consumers, which is 34% less than in the same period last year.

The main importers of Russian products are Italy (266.44 thousand tons, down 27.6% year-on-year) and Poland (54.99 thousand tons, down 44.9% year-on-year). Belgium and Spain imported 84 thousand tons of DRI (-47% y/y) and 69.2 thousand tons (+16.9% y/y), respectively.

Libya shipped 174.62 thousand tons of DRI to the EU in 8 months, reducing the figure by 54.8% y/y. Venezuela exported 459.49 thousand tons of the corresponding products to the European Union (+2.5 times y/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 258.59 thousand tons of products to the EU (+6.5% y/y).

In August, the EU imported 157.39 thousand tons of DRI, which is 27.8% less y/y, but 14.7% more m/m.

Russia exported 33 thousand tons of raw materials to the EU during the month (-37.5% y/y; -51.1% m/y), while Libya did not supply any. Venezuela exported 91.19 thousand tons during the month (+9.1 times m/m; no supplies in August 2024), and the US exported 28.71 thousand tons (-20.4% m/m +33% y/y).

As a reminder, 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%).