According to the Economic and Steel Market Outlook 2026-2027/Q1 2026 Report from the Economic Committee of the European Steel Association (EUROFER), in the third quarter of 2025 the output of the EU steel tube industry increased by 3.8 percent year on year, after six consecutive quarterly declines.
EUROFER stated that the sector benefited from the post-pandemic recovery in 2021, but this momentum was abruptly disrupted in the second half of 2022 due to war-related factors and supply chain constraints. Uncertainty over energy prices following the summer 2022 energy shock has persisted over the past three years, despite declines in gas and oil prices, driven by weaker global growth expectations and subdued demand. Combined with broader economic uncertainty, this has weighed heavily on investment in the sector, including pipeline projects across the EU.
In 2023, output in the EU steel tube sector declined slightly by 1.4 percent, followed by a further contraction of 2.4 percent in 2024. A marginal recovery is forecast for 2025, with growth of 0.2 percent, followed by moderate increases of 0.8 percent in 2026 and 1.5 percent in 2027. Over the longer term, EUROFER expects demand for steel tubes from the oil and gas sector to remain limited as the EU continues shifting toward LNG transportation, reducing its dependence on pipeline gas.