Eurofer, the European steel producers association, has warned the European steel industry is being threatened by unfair international competition, and says it may prepare new anti-dumping cases.
A surge of steel imports overall is creating significant problems for European producers, Gordon Moffat, Eurofer’s director general said. Imports of finished steel products rose 82% year-on-year in August-September.
With one in three tonnes coming from China, hot rolled coil (HRC) imports have accounted for 25% of the total EU market supply since July – up from 15% at the start of the year.
Import monitoring by the group revealed intensifying HRC price undercutting, with the largest margins originating in China and Ukraine. The increase is being exacerbated by production subsidies and protectionist measures affecting the steel trade in a number of foreign markets, it said.
