According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the January-October period of 2009, France's basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to a value of €6.32 billion, down 39.68 percent year on year.
During the period in question, France exported €1.6 billion of steel pipes and tubes - down 34.31 percent, €174.6 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 58 percent, €361.38 million of cold rolled steel strip - down 46.08 percent, €192.48 million of cold drawn wire - down 42.14 percent, €587.92 million of metal structures and parts - down 15.9 percent, all compared to the corresponding period of 2008.
Meanwhile, in the first nine months of this year, France's basic steel product and ferroalloy imports totaled €5.67 billion, down 48.6 percent year on year.
During the period in question, France imported €1.06 billion of steel pipes and tubes - down 35.37 percent, €201.57 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 52.96 percent, €355.7 million of cold rolled steel strip - down 38.33 percent, €255.1 million of cold drawn wire - down 45.95 percent, and €922 million of metal structures and parts - down 27.36 percent, all compared to the corresponding period of 2008.