According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the January-September period of 2009, France's basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to a value of €5.61 billion, down 40.22 percent year on year.
During the period in question, France exported €1.43 billion of steel pipes and tubes - down 35.41 percent, €154.28 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 58.49 percent, €320.22 million of cold rolled steel strip - down 46.41 percent, €169.16 million of cold drawn wire - down 43.58 percent, €518.88 million of metal structures and parts - down 15.58 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 five billion euro, down 49.46 percent year on year.
During the period in question, France imported €948.6 million of steel pipes and tubes - down 35.78 percent, €180.43 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 52.97 percent, €311.08 million of cold rolled steel strip - down 39.8 percent, €223.59 million of cold drawn wire - down 47.39 percent, and €822.7 million of metal structures and parts - down 26.43 percent, all compared to the corresponding period of 2008.