Czech crude steel production reached 2.43 million tonnes in 2025, flat on-year, remaining at its lowest level in history, while consumption remained at 5.5mt, the lowest-ever figure except for the 2009 financial crisis year, says the Czech and Slovak steel association, Steel Union.
The crude steel output fall has been largely due to the deterioration and eventual closing of crude steelmaking at Nova Hut, formerly Liberty Ostrava, Kallanish notes.
Production of finished steel actually increased in 2025, by 14% and 61% respectively for long and flat products to 2.07 million tonnes and 805,000t. However, this was down to the restart of operations at Nova Hut after the new owner was installed last year. Pipe production rose 35% to 314,000t.
“We are facing one of the largest and longest crises caused by external factors that fundamentally disrupt economic stability on a European scale and weaken the competitiveness of the European Union,” says Steel Union supervisory board member and Trinecke Zelezarny chief executive Roman Heide.
EU mills are under threat from low-priced imports, high energy prices, and elevated and unstable emission allowance prices, he notes. The Emissions Trading System is “unpredictable and subject to market speculation that we have no control over. The costs of European producers are therefore constantly rising and their competitiveness is continuing to deteriorate,” he adds.
The development ignores the economic reality and the actual functioning of the market “in favour of ideologically motivated approaches”, Heide says.
Czech steel imports rose by 900,000t last year to 7.5mt, with exports growing at a slower pace to 3.4mt.
