Steel
ITA Steel Resources
Steel Information
Contact Information
- Enforcement and Compliance
(202) 482-2105
ECGlobalSteelStats@trade.gov
Reports Archive
- Report Archive
- (Last Update: 05/11/2020)
Enhanced global steel trade monitoring
Steel Imports Report: European Union
Background
The European Union was collectively the world’s largest steel importer in 2018. In year-to-date 2019 (through March), further referred to as YTD 2019, the E.U. imported 11.2 million metric tons of steel, a 3 percent decrease from 11.5 million metric tons in YTD 2018. The volume of the E.U.’s steel imports in 2018 was nearly 50 percent larger than that of the world’s largest individual importer, the United States. In value terms, steel represented just 1.6 percent of the total goods imported into the E.U. in 2018.
The European Union imported steel from more than 150 countries and territories in 2018. The 10 countries highlighted in the map below represent the top sources for the E.U.’s imports of steel, with the E.U. receiving more than 250 thousand metric tons from each and together accounting for 88 percent of the E.U.’s steel imports in 2018.
The E.U. has alternated between a steel trade surplus and trade deficit since 2005. Since 2015 the E.U. has experienced a trade deficit. Between YTD 2018 and YTD 2019 the trade deficit increased by 19 percent, amounting to 3.8 million metric tons in YTD 2019. After a low point in 2009 the E.U.’s imports and exports have both increased. Imports have grown 81 percent between Q1 2009 and Q1 2019, and exports have grown 10 percent over the same period.
The International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, manages this global trade site to provide access to ITA information on promoting trade and investment, strengthening the competitiveness of U.S. industry, and ensuring fair trade and compliance with trade laws and agreements. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. This site contains PDF documents. A PDF reader is available from Adobe Systems Incorporated.