The European steel industry is facing one of its most serious crises in recent decades, with producers warning of a possible collapse under pressure from low-priced Chinese imports and high tariffs imposed by the United States on EU exports.
Else Henne , a senior executive at German company ThyssenKrupp , said that the European industry is in dire need of urgent protection measures, stressing: "If action is not taken quickly, the steel industry will not be able to survive."
The sector is suffering from weak domestic demand and high energy costs, while steel imports to Europe doubled to 28 million tons last year , equivalent to a quarter of sales, a figure that threatens market stability.
France, along with ten other European countries, is leading calls to impose tariffs of up to 50% on imports that exceed certain levels, in an attempt to save an industry that is a cornerstone of strategic sectors such as the European automotive industry .
According to data from the European Steel Producers Association ( Eurofer ), the sector lost about 18,000 jobs in 2024 alone, while the total number of jobs lost since 2008 exceeded 90,000 , with expectations of further losses if decisive action is not taken.
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