According to statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, France’s trade in basic steel products and ferroalloys recorded a slight decline in value during the first quarter of 2026, with both imports and exports falling compared to the same period last year.
In the January–March period, France’s imports of basic steel products and ferroalloys totaled €2.31 billion, down 2.1 percent year on year. Among the main product categories, imports of steel pipes and tubes increased by 1.5 percent to €520.2 million, while cold rolled steel bars rose by 2.0 percent to €135.46 million. By contrast, imports of cold rolled steel strip declined by 7.3 percent to €162.36 million, cold drawn wire fell by 6.9 percent to €118.8 million, and metal structures and parts registered the sharpest decrease, dropping by 11.9 percent to €600.25 million.
On the export side, France’s basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to €2.37 billion in the first quarter, representing a year-on-year decrease of 1.9 percent. Exports of steel pipes and tubes fell by 7.3 percent to €286.78 million, while shipments of metal structures and parts edged down by 0.9 percent to €220.34 million. However, exports of cold rolled steel bars increased by 7.7 percent to €120.8 million, cold rolled steel strip rose by 9.5 percent to €166.93 million, and cold drawn wire advanced by 4.4 percent to €80.52 million.
Despite the overall decline in trade values, France maintained a slight trade surplus in basic steel products and ferroalloys during the quarter, with exports exceeding imports by approximately €60 million.
Author: SteelOrbis Editorial Team
