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European Steel in Figures 2020
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European Steel in Figures 2020 is the European Steel Association’s (EUROFER) statistical guide. It shows a sector that has experienced a challenging year in 2019, with employment levels stable but demand beginning to fall off. In 2019, imports fell from the record rise seen in 2018 - in line with falling demand. The decline in production and demand will have an impact on future employment figures, as will the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Total employment – jobs directly or indirectly, or induced by the sector – now stands at 2.6 million. Total Gross Value Added is €140 billion.
This new European Steel in Figures 2020 guide updates the trade map, showing imports and exports from the EU in an easy-to-understand way, breaking down previously hard to read figures. Additionally, the sustainability section of the guide has been doubled in size and updated with the latest data, now including refreshed information on slag production by the steel industry and its use by other downstream sectors.
All these statistics help give an overview of the European steel industry today. Awareness of the employment, production, demand and trade challenges that face the sector ensure a greater understanding of our strategically important sector. With this in mind, I hope you enjoy using European Steel in Figures 2020.
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Brussels, 28 July 2025 — The European steel value chain is at a critical juncture. Deindustrialization is accelerating across both steel production, distribution and processing, threatening the resilience, competitiveness, and long-term sustainability of a sector essential to Europe's strategic autonomy and industrial base.
Brussels, 29 July 2025 – The proposal for a ‘highly effective’ new trade measure to counter global overcapacity and preserve the European steel industry’s capacities, published yesterday by France on behalf of a group of 11 Member States, is a timely initiative. The non-paper sets a clear course towards a comprehensive steel trade measure to replace the current safeguard regime at a critical moment, as the negative impacts of global overcapacity on the European steel industry continue to grow, says the European Steel Association (EUROFER).
Brussels, 28 July 2025 – The deal on tariffs struck by the EU with the U.S. limits the damage in the current circumstances, but the impact on European steel remains dramatic as long as 50% tariffs are still applied. A potential joint action EU-U.S. to address global overcapacity and a possible return to a tariff-rate quota system for EU exports to the U.S., as hinted at by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, are still vague and lack the necessary details to the bring the economic certainty needed by EU steel producers, says the European Steel Association.