German crude steel production fell 13.5% year over year to 2.7 million mt in February, according to data published March 24 by German steel federation WV Stahl.
Of the total, 1.84 million mt was produced from blast furnaces, down 14.4% year over year, while production from electric arc furnaces dropped 11.5% to 864,000 mt.
Meanwhile, Germany’s February pig iron production slipped 15.9% year over year to 1.71 million mt.
Output of hot-rolled steel products in February also fell 16.9% year over year to 2.37 million mt.
Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, assessed domestic HRC prices in Northern Europe at Eur635/mt ex-works Ruhr March 21, up 8% since the start of 2025.
Steel and Metals Action Plan
The association also reacted separately to the European Commission’s Steel and Metals Action Plan, with WV Stahl Director General Kerstin Maria Rippel saying in a statement the plan “sent a clear signal in favor of maintaining the competitiveness of the EU steel industry.”
She said the rapid response by the European Commission showed Brussels had recognized the seriousness of the situation.
“The proposals on external trade are a step in the right direction, and in view of the increasing import pressure and the consequences of the confrontational US trade policy, the tightening of the EU’s protective measures from April 1, 2025 is only logical,” Rippel said.
She called for further measures to be taken without delay, including strengthening the EU safeguard measures that expired in 2026, an effective successor instrument, and the long overdue adjustments to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
Rippel said three measures were essential for the CBAM, including an effective export solution, the extension of the instrument to products in downstream value chains, and the prevention of circumvention.
“This is the only way to protect the energy-intensive steel industry from carbon leakage. These measures are essential to maintain a strong and competitive steel industry in Europe,” she said.
Rippel said the action plan also pointed in the right direction in other areas, such as energy prices and the development of lead markets for low-emission basic materials, but these need to be further specified.
“Energy costs, which are still too high, remain a major challenge for our businesses. Although the Action Plan provides some relief, it still lacks a concrete concept for a competitive industrial electricity price,” she said.
She called for the planned development of lead markets for climate-friendly steel to be specified, saying the Low Emission Steel Standard could and should play a key role in securing Europe’s leadership in setting standards for low-emission steel.
“We now have a road map for achieving competitive carbon neutrality in the European steel industry. It is now crucial that it is implemented quickly and consistently in Brussels, Berlin and the federal states. Otherwise, we will lose touch to other regions in the world that are ahead of us,” Rippel said.
