EU HRC prices inch lower amid import pressure, mixed outlooks
European hot-rolled coil prices inched down July 3 as further pressure from imports and mixed outlooks dampened sentiment within the market.
Many participants reiterated the subdued market conditions at the outset of the European summer holidays as the industry converged at the EUROMETAL 75th Anniversary conference in Luxembourg.
A distributor source said a favorable euro/US dollar exchange rate was making raw materials slightly cheaper for mills, giving them some relief in times where prices have fallen around Eur100/mt since the end of April.
A mill offer was reported in Northern Europe at Eur550/mt ex-works Ruhr, with tradable values in a range of Eur540-560/mt on the day, as sources at the event reiterated the wider conditions, and referred to the potential for lower prices to be attained for high tonnage enquiries.
In Southern Europe, market participants said activity was limited. An offer was reported at Eur545/mt ex-works Italy, with a tradable value being reported at Eur540/mt.
On the import side, prices fell further in both Northern and Southern Europe as offers from Turkey and Indonesia continued to get more competitive.
In Southern Europe, offers for Turkish HRC were reported at Eur500-505/mt CIF Italy duty paid, and for Indonesian material at Eur470/mt CIF Italy.
Indonesian material in Northern Europe was offered at Eur470-480/mt CIF Antwerp.
“Most people are stocking up on imports now,” a trader source said. “Indonesia and Saudi Arabia seem to be alternatives for now – people are always trying to find different sources for material not subject to safeguards,” he added.
Platts assessed imported HRC in Northern Europe at Eur480/mt CIF Antwerp, down Eur10 day over day, and in Southern Europe at Eur475/mt, down Eur15 day over day. Both prices assessed are at their lowest levels since 2021.
Platts assessed domestic HRC in Northern Europe at Eur555/mt ex-works Ruhr, down Eur5 day over day, the lowest level since December 2024. In Southern Europe, HRC was assessed at Eur540/mt, stable day over day and the lowest level since October 2024.
Platts is part of S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Alexander Julius: Industry must utilise political problem-solving momentum
EUROMETAL has begun collecting information from EU associations, national federations, and steel users regarding the import into the EU of low-priced steel derivatives. The association is analysing the growth in imports compared to the ongoing decline in European steel consumption and domestic production, president Alexander Julius said at the EUROMETAL 75th anniversary event attended by Kallanish.
Brussels and national governments are “opening their doors and they are listening”, he noted at the event in Luxembourg on Thursday. “We need to utilise this development and momentum, continuing to address the problems of our industry.”
Julius remains optimistic about the potential to establish a level playing field also for downstream companies in Europe. “Also to the European Commission, we have emphasised more than once that a green transformation, electrification and development of a European defence programme demand a healthy EU manufacturing industry with a healthy steel distribution,” he continued.
Collecting detailed information on unfair import practices related to steel derivatives is crucial, Julius added. He urged companies and industry associations to share as much data as possible as the European Commission can only act when properly informed.
Europe is becoming increasingly reliant on imports, particularly from China and other Asian countries, Julius warned. “China is now more digitalised and electrified than Europe,” he said, adding that Europeans have grown complacent, discussing reduced working hours and even four-day workweeks, as is the case in Germany.
He also highlighted growing geopolitical instability, citing US President Donald Trump’s “America First” stance, Russia’s ongoing war in Europe’s neighbourhood, and China’s strategic goal of becoming the world’s dominant supplier of hardware and software. These developments, Julius pointed out, should serve as a wake-up call for European policymakers and as an opportunity to rebuild a more independent and resilient Europe.
Meanwhile, Carlo Thelen, director general of the Luxembourg commerce chamber, urged Brussels to simplify the complex European regulatory framework and to develop pragmatic economic tools, stressing that businesses need greater clarity and predictability.
Speaking on the role of innovation, Thelen underlined the chamber’s mission to support companies in investing in technology. The potential of artificial intelligence may act as a key accelerator for steel distribution, provided it is accessible, reliable, and tailored to industrial needs. Applications such as predictive maintenance, carbon accounting, and forecasting could greatly enhance efficiency.
He called on the steel industry to prioritise technological innovation, noting that logistics, digitalisation, and AI are becoming the new industrial language. “Yet today, too many systems fail to communicate with each other,” Thelen said, warning that this lack of integration is hindering the sector’s progress in improving its environmental performance.
Natalia Capra France
EU steelmakers & distributors demand whole value chain support
Europe’s steelmakers and steel distributors and processors have continued their alliance calling for measures to support the continued existence of the European downstream steel-using industries.
In a joint note, Eurofer and Eurometal warn that processors “face substantial challenges to remain competitive and require stronger, more targeted support.” They add: “A steel industry confronted with a shrinking customer base, particularly in downstream sectors, poses broader risks for the entire European industrial ecosystem, as the same accounts for the European steel customer base that requires a viable steel industry in Europe.”
Just a few years ago, in the pre-Ukraine war and pre-Covid era, such close alignment between producers and distributors on policy issues was a rare occurrence. But rapidly shrinking steel production and demand in Europe, coupled with the geopolitically fragmented world of today mean Europe’s steel value chain must come together to fight for its existence, Kallanish notes.
Eurofer and Eurometal met to discuss collaboration after the European Commission’s Steel Dialogue on 4 March, with Eurometal raising concerns regarding the impact of imported steel derivatives on European distribution, processing, and manufacturing.
Both organisations agree that a robust manufacturing base is “essential for strategic autonomy and involves the entire steel supply chain – including both steel production and processing.” The Steel and Metals Action Plan represents a strong starting point, where the European Union recognises industry challenges and importance, but “this requires concrete translation into effective regulatory frameworks”.
Eurometal represents a significant portion of the intermediate steel processing market in Europe – comprising nearly 50% of deliveries in the EU, the statement adds.
The weakening of this supply chain puts at risk 13.6 million direct jobs across steel processing, intermediate suppliers, and manufacturing sectors in the bloc, and threatens a wider European deindustrialisation, it continues.
“The focus of European policymakers needs to be expanded to the complete supply and value chain of our industry,” says Eurometal president Alexander Julius. Eurofer director general Axel Eggert meanwhile says the organisation “appeals on EU policymakers to support our joint efforts”.
At least as far as trade is concerned, the EU has already promised, as part of the Steel & Metals Action Plan, to extend the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover downstream products.
Adam Smith Poland
EUROFER and EUROMETAL convene to support the European Steel Supply Chain
In April 2025, EUROFER and EUROMETAL leaders convened to discuss potential collaboration areas for strengthening messaging and initiatives to support the European steel and steel-using industries.
This initial exploratory meeting was prompted by the Steel Dialogue on 4 March 2025, hosted by the European Commission, during which EUROMETAL raised concerns regarding the impact of imported steel derivatives on European distribution, processing, and manufacturing industries.
Both EUROFER and EUROMETAL acknowledged that a robust manufacturing base is essential for strategic autonomy and involves the entire steel supply chain — including both steel production and processing. The Steel and Metals Action Plan represents a strong starting point, where the European Union recognizes industry challenges and importance, but this requires concrete translation into effective regulatory frameworks. Sharing knowledge and perspectives across the value chain will enhance the design and implementation of such policies and measures.
EUROMETAL represents a significant portion of the intermediate steel processing market in Europe — comprising nearly 50% of deliveries in the EU. These processors face substantial challenges to remain competitive and require stronger, more targeted support. A steel industry confronted with a shrinking customer base, particularly in downstream sectors, poses broader risks for the entire European industrial ecosystem, as the same accounts for the European steel customer base that requires a viable steel industry in Europe.
The two associations underscored that the weakening of this vital supply chain puts at risk 13.6 million direct jobs across steel processing, intermediate suppliers, and manufacturing sectors in the EU. The consequences go far beyond economics — this situation threatens a wider European deindustrialization, with the relocation of R&D capacities, loss of innovation hubs, and increased dependence on external markets.
The meeting marked an excellent beginning for further analysis and discussions and will be followed up in due course.
Axel Eggert, Director General of the European Steel Association (EUROFER), stated: “Both EUROMETAL and EUROFER have a strong interest in a vibrant European steel value chain at the benefit of the EU’s economic resilience and strategic autonomy as well as investment, innovation and quality jobs in Europe. We therefore appeal on EU policymakers to support our joint efforts.”
Alexander Julius, President of EUROMETAL, commented: “The EU steel using and steel making industries are at stake. The focus of European policymakers needs to be expanded to the complete supply and value chain of our industry. Joint efforts of EUROFER and EUROMETAL will form a solid basis approaching this important topic sustainably.”
Joint Statement – 
EUROMETAL contributes to high-level European Commission Dialogue on Environmental Assessments and Permitting
At the invitation of Commissioner Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, EUROMETAL took part in a high-level Implementation Dialogue on Environmental Assessments and Permitting.
The event convened key institutional and industry stakeholders to explore how to improve environmental permitting processes across the EU, with a focus on efficiency, predictability, and alignment with Europe’s green and industrial objectives.
Representing EUROMETAL, President Alexander Julius shared insights from Europe’s steel distribution, processing, and manufacturing sectors, emphasising that streamlined environmental assessments and permitting are critical not only for large industrial projects, but also for enabling innovation and investment across the wider manufacturing ecosystem.
The dialogue highlighted key challenges faced by EUROMETAL members, including fragmented procedures, limited administrative coordination, delays in grid connection approvals, and a shortage of qualified environmental professionals. These issues were further illustrated through concrete member experiences submitted ahead of the event.
In response, EUROMETAL presented a set of strategic recommendations to the European Commission, aimed at modernising and harmonising permitting frameworks, promoting digital tools, clarifying end-of-waste criteria, and aligning procedures with the EU Taxonomy for sustainable investment.
In her concluding remarks, Commissioner Roswall outlined the Commission’s priorities for reform, including better access to data, improved administrative capacity, process digitisation, clearer EU-level guidance, and stronger public engagement. She reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to continuously improving permitting procedures in support of environmental protection and industrial competitiveness.
EUROMETAL remains fully committed to working with EU institutions and Member States to ensure that permitting processes become a strategic enabler of Europe’s green and industrial transitions, not a bottleneck.
Jaap Jan Aardenburg: EU has to be more resilient in the face of more challenging conditions
Speaking at the EUROMETAL Steel Day & YISAD Flat Steel Conference held at Istanbul Marriott Hotel Asia on Tuesday, April 8, in cooperation with SteelOrbis, Jaap Jan Aardenburg, head of trade affairs of Tata Steel Nederland, made a presentation on the reasons leading to the widespread adoption of protectionist policies in the global market, how these policies affect the globe and how the EU’s preferred protectionist policies are given shape.
Mr. Aardenburg started his presentation with a general view of Tata Steel Nederland’s recent operations. Tata Steel Nederland has two blast furnaces at its integrated plants and has the capacity to produce more that 7 million mt of finished steel annually in more than 17,000 different specifications.
Employing more than 9,000 workers directly and creating 40,000 indirect job opportunities, Tata Steel Nederland has the second-largest steel service center in Europe. Moreover, the company has already started supplying low-carbon steel to end-users, while it is also aiming to replace one of its blast furnaces by EAF- and DRI-based production by 2030.
Addressing the global protectionist policies, the Tata Steel official stated that free trade has much empirical evidence on why it is better for a country’s economy and outlined several factors leading to the adoption of protectionism.
Listing national security, protection of infant industries, environmental policies, protection of jobs, and retaliation like that taken against Trump’s tariffs this year among these reasons, he pointed to the issue of global excess capacity as the single most important reason leading the global markets towards protectionism.
Mr. Aardenburg stated that global excess capacity is currently 602 million mt, and that the fact that demand has weakened in recent years while capacities have continued to increase has made the problem even worse. Regarding China, the country that has fueled this excess capacity problem the most.
He stated, “Since demand in the Chinese domestic market cannot reach the capacity levels, pressure is being exerted on foreign markets.
We recently heard that China will reduce its production capacity. You can disregard this possibility. Although there is pressure on China in the global market in this direction, one of the biggest key performance indicators of the Chinese government and local administrations is employment, which will eventually diminish in the case of production stoppages. For this reason, I think they will continue production.”
Stating that the EU is also dealing with the energy price crisis caused by the Ukraine-Russia war and the gradually weakening demand for steel, Aardenburg argued that the EU should be resilient in solving these problems.
The EU, he said, which applies fairly fair protection measures, has pursued policies in line with principles such as ensuring a level playing field, ensuring material availability and not imposing a tax on steel imports, but these measures implemented so far have been inadequate.
He added that the EU now acknowledges how important the manufacturing sector is and Trump’s second term as president has increased the necessity to follow a new policy and the Steel and Metal Action Plan prepared in this direction will ensure that the EU protects its competitiveness and its own steel sector.
EUROMETAL meets with EUROFER to address challenges facing the European Steel Market
On a visit to EUROFER headquarters in Brussels yesterday, EUROMETAL held a high-level meeting with Mr. Axel Eggert, Director General, and Mr. Karl Tachelet, Deputy Director General for International Affairs and External Relations.
EUROMETAL was represented by its President, Alexander Julius, Vice-President Fernando Espada, Board Member Jaap Jan Aardenburg, and Director General Ricardo Silva.
During the discussions, EUROMETAL raised serious concerns about the growing influx of imported finished steel products entering the European market. This trend, already identified in recent exchanges with processors and manufacturers, poses a significant threat to the entire European steel value chain.
EUROMETAL emphasized that the increasing volume of these imports of ready-made steel-based products is undermining both the distribution and production sectors. The impact is being felt across logistics, processing, and distribution, with broader implications for the overall competitiveness of the European manufacturing industry — an industry that supports 13.6 million direct jobs.
EUROMETAL called for close coordination and joint action with EUROFER to defend the integrity of the European market and ensure a level playing field for all stakeholders in the steel ecosystem.
EUROFER appreciated our position, and the meeting proved to be a solid foundation for exploring further collaboration in support of our shared agenda.
EUROMETAL re-invited by Mrs Von der Leyen to high-level EU Consultation on U.S. Tariffs Impact on Steel
EUROMETAL has received an official invitation from the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to participate in a high-level virtual meeting on Monday, 7 April 2025, to discuss the impact of U.S. tariffs on the EU steel and aluminium sectors.
The invitation follows the recent announcement by the U.S. administration to impose tariffs on steel, aluminium, and derivative products, including those originating from the European Union. This development is expected to have significant consequences for global trade and directly affect Europe’s metals industry and supply chains.
In response, the European Commission has launched a revised Steel and Metals Action Plan, effective from 1 April 2025, aimed at reinforcing the EU’s trade defense mechanisms. A new trade measure to replace existing steel safeguards is also under preparation for implementation from 1 July 2026.
The upcoming virtual meeting will serve as a strategic dialogue with key industry stakeholders, aiming to: gather insights on the real and anticipated impact of U.S. tariffs on EU steel and aluminium, explore sector proposals for an effective EU response, and help shape the next phase of EU trade defense policies.
EUROMETAL welcomes this initiative and will actively contribute to the discussion, continuing its mission to represent the interests of the European steel distribution, processing, and trading sectors.
We look forward to engaging with EU decision-makers and other industry leaders to ensure that Europe’s steel value chain remains strong, competitive, and protected.
Vantage Steel Group joins as Member of EUROMETAL
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Strategic steps for Steel: EU to outline long-term industry measures
On March 19, the EU plans to present an Action Plan on Steel and Metals, which will include additional sector-specific priority actions. This is stated in the report of the European Commission (EC) on the results of the Strategic Dialogue on Steel.
In addition, the plan will contain long-term steps to replace trade remedies that expire in June 2026. The document will also address a wide range of issues related to the industry, such as ensuring the commercial viability of clean steel production and responding to unfair trade practices.
The plan will include the results of a strategic dialogue with key representatives of the sector, which took place on March 4 under the chairmanship of EC President Ursula von der Leyen.
The strategic dialogue with the EC President brought together steel sector leaders and industry associations.
The European Steel Industry Association (Eurofer) welcomed the initiative. Eurofer CEO Axel Eggert said: “We are grateful that the Commission – at the very highest level – not only recognises these challenges but wants to work with our industry to find the right solutions».
The association continues to push for decisive action in four priority areas – trade defence measures, watertight CBAM, competitive energy prices and scrap retention in Europe.
Alexander Julius, President of EUROMETAL, which represents European steel, pipe and steel product distributors, emphasized during the dialogue that fair competition remains a crucial factor for the steel industry, and it is important for the EU to create a level playing field for the sector. In his opinion, this can be achieved by extending safeguard measures to semi-finished and finished products, which currently enter the bloc without hindrance. In addition, support for distribution, processing and manufacturing in the EU is important to stimulate innovation and create a basis for sustainable industrial activity, given Europe’s position between the US and China.
EUROMETAL also confirmed its willingness to actively participate in the CBAM working group.
As GMK Center reported earlier, on February 26, the European Commission presented the Clean Industry Agreement, a plan to support the competitiveness and future of manufacturing industries in Europe. The document positions decarbonization as a powerful driver for industrial growth. The Commission is also taking steps to make the regulatory environment more efficient, while reducing bureaucratic obstacles to business.
