According to the Economic and Steel Market Outlook 2026-2027/Q1 2025 Report from the Economic Committee of the European Steel Association (EUROFER), total steel imports coming into the EU, including semis, increased by 14 percent year on year in 2025. During the same period, the EU’s imports of flat steel went up by seven percent year on year, while imports of long steel increased by 17 percent.
Imports remained highly volatile overall, continuing the fluctuating pattern observed over the past four years. In 2025, trade dynamics were heavily shaped by US tariffs and increased uncertainty in global markets, particularly in the second half of the year. This environment led to a decline in EU exports while imports moved higher.
Despite ongoing volatility, import volumes stayed at historically elevated levels, driving a significant share of imports in EU steel consumption and further widening the trade deficit with third countries.
In 2025, the EU’s finished steel imports were primarily sourced from Turkey, South Korea, Indonesia, China, India, Ukraine and Taiwan. During the first eight months of the year, the top five suppliers accounted for 54 percent of total imports. Turkey ranked as the leading supplier with a 16.5 percent share, followed by South Korea at 11.4 percent, Indonesia at nine percent, China at 8.7 percent, India at eight percent and Ukraine at seven percent.
Import performance varied notably by country. Shipments from Indonesia surged by 263 percent, while imports increased by 24 percent from Turkey, by 31 percent from China, by eight percent from Ukraine and by two percent from South Korea. In contrast, imports from India declined by 28 percent and imports from Taiwan decreased by 15 percent.
According to customs data, imports of flat steel products increased by five percent compared to 2024, while long product imports recorded a stronger rise of 17 percent. Long products represented 23 percent of total finished steel imports.
