International trade is essential for the European economy, and steel products are among the most intensively traded products in the world. Around a quarter of the 160 million tonnes of steel used in the EU every year is imported - and the EU is also a major steel exporter.
Trade policy issues are of central importance to EUROFER, because free and fair international trade conditions are the basis for the stability of the EU steel market. EUROFER welcomes free trade agreements that open up mutually accessible markets between trade partners and ensures fair access to public procurement tenders.
In particular, EUROFER monitors - on an ongoing basis - trade flows to ensure that imports into the EU are coming on a fair basis and are not dumped, produced using unfair subsidies or circumventing existing trade defence measures.
New global reality requires disruptive thinking and innovative measures
Brussels, 16 March 2023 – A successful EU industrial policy requires a value chain-based approach, with steel as an integral part of the Net-Zero Industry Act. To ensure that the EU remains competitive in the greatest transformation of the industry towards climate-neutrality, it is essential to adopt disruptive thinking and innovative measures to create a more attractive green investment environment whilst securing the EU’s strategic autonomy. The European Steel Association (EUROFER) details its comprehensive vision in a new policy paper covering all industrial policy fields relevant for a green, decarbonised and prospering European manufacturing industry, including energy and climate, environment and circularity, investment, trade, internal market and skills.
Brussels, 2 December 2022 – EUROFER welcomes the WTO Panel report ruling against Indonesia’s ban on the export of nickel ore. These measures have been artificially distorting the global market for nickel ore and fuelling the new export-oriented stainless steel production in Indonesia, whilst harming the EU stainless sector.