Italy has topped the list of EU countries in terms of quantities of steel imported from China in 2006, recording a total of 2.97 million mt.
In 2006, China registered total steel exports of 43 million metric tons, up 109.6 percent on the figure for the previous year. Of this total, 7.38 million mt were directed towards the EU25 countries, representing an upsurge of 443 percent compared to 2005. The steel trade between China and EU25 in 2006 saw net exports of six million mt from China to the EU.
Of the EU25 countries, Italy imported the largest quantity of steel from China in 2006 with a total of 2.97 million mt, up 468 percent on the 2005 figure. Italy was followed by Spain with 1.68 million mt (up a huge 738 percent), and by Belgium with 1.33 million mt (up 483 percent). The UK was in fourth place with 470,000 mt (up 182 percent), while Germany was fifth with 180,000 mt (up 230 percent).