Turkey’s steel exports to EU rise by 1.32 percent in H1

In the first half of this year, Turkey's steel exports to the European Union rose by 1.32 percent in value as compared to the corresponding period of 2009 and totaled $948.28 million, according to the preliminary statistics provided by the Istanbul Mineral and Metals Exporters' Association (IMMIB).
 
In the first six months of 2010, Turkey's steel exports to Italy, its number one steel trading partner in Europe, came to $138.51 million, decreasing by 15.23 percent, while Turkey's steel exports to Germany amounted to $124.91 million, climbing by 20.81 percent, both compared to the corresponding period of 2009. In the given period, these two countries were followed by the UK, with Turkey's steel exports to this country totaling $117.38 million, with a significant year-on-year increase of 90.30 percent.
 
Meanwhile, among other destinations, Turkey's steel exports to Romania, where Turkish integrated steelmaker Erdemir owns a subsidiary, decreased by 19.31 percent in the January-June period of this year, amounting to $115.96 million, while its steel exports to the Netherlands increased by 27.16 percent ($94.31 million) and its steel exports to Spain declined by 6.68 percent ($72.25 million), all on year-on-year basis.
 
In the first half of 2010, Turkey's steel exports to the European Union accounted for 16.2 percent of the country's total steel exports, slightly down from 16.77 percent in H1 2009.