GENERAL NEWS
EU steel exports to U. S. hit by tariffs
EU steel exports to the United States fell by 30 % in the second half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, after the imposition of 50 % tariffs( according to new Eurostat data). The expansion of the U. S. tariff regime to include downstream steel-intensive products, such as machinery and equipment, is expected to amplify its impact on both EU steel producers and their customers.
The European Steel Association( EUROFER) said the figures underscore the need for any EU-U. S. trade agreement to be fair, balanced and enforceable. The data highlights the significant impact that current U. S. tariff levels have had on Europe’ s steel industry.
“ A 30 % drop in steel exports to the U. S. within just six months is a clear signal that the blunt 50 % tariffs imposed by the US government on EU steel are damaging our industry. The U. S. decision to include EU downstream steel products, such as machinery, will have another huge negative impact on us and our European customers,” said Axel Eggert, Director General, EUROFER.
“ If the EU-US trade agreement is to restore stability and predictability, it must be fair, reciprocal and enforceable.
Commitments on tariffs must translate into real and balanced market conditions for industry on both sides of the Atlantic. But so far, we are still waiting to hear whether the arrangement will secure meaningful EU steel access to the U. S. market or a joint response to global steel overcapacity,” he added.
The steel industry welcomed recent proposals in the European Parliament to introduce review and response mechanisms within the EU-US arrangement to ensure that European industry can respond if tariff levels remain elevated or increase in the future.
With EU steel safeguards set to expire in June, the industry stressed that the transition to the EU’ s new steel trade measure, currently in negotiations, must be agreed and put in place by 1 July 2026.
Critically, steel-intensive downstream products must also be shielded from trade diversion and global overcapacity.
“ The risk of trade diversion through steel-intensive downstream products has increased significantly over the past decade. Figures by WorldSteel show that EU indirect steel imports( steel embedded in finished goods) rose from 96 million tonnes in 2014 to 121 million tonnes in 2024. At the same time, China’ s indirect steel exports nearly doubled from around 82 million tonnes five years ago to approximately 137 million tonnes in 2024, while its direct steel exports also reached record highs,” concluded EUROFER.
EUROFER AISBL was founded in 1976 and represents the entirety of steel production in the European Union. EUROFER members are steel companies and national steel federations throughout the EU. The major steel companies and national steel federation of Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom are associate members. n
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. eurofer. eu
Strong support for AUTOMOTIVE WORLD
AUTOMOTIVE WORLD 2026, organised by RX Japan GK, was held at Tokyo Big Sight in Japan from 21-23 January 2026. The trade show brought together 1,711 exhibitors from 24 countries and regions, welcoming 78,673 visitors from the global mobility community.
The exhibition opened with a grand ribbon‐cutting ceremony that set the tone for the week. Under the theme“ Co‐Create the Future”, 29 senior leaders came together to mark the official opening of the show. The line-up included executives from leading automakers such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Suzuki, alongside representatives from Tier 1 automotive suppliers, IT / software companies and tech giants including Google Cloud Japan and Microsoft Japan.
AUTOMOTIVE WORLD featured six focused shows that covered critical areas of innovation: CAR‐ELE JAPAN; EV JAPAN; CAR‐MECHA JAPAN; the Autonomous Driving Technology Expo; the Software‐Defined Vehicle Expo and the Sustainable Mobility Technology Expo. These zones provided insight into the technologies shaping future mobility including manufacturing processes, electrification systems, automation and the growing field of sustainability.
Above: 29 executives from Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Suzuki and more took part in a grand ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open Automotive World 2026. Inset: RX Japan GK President, Takeshi Tanaka.
One of the show highlights was the hosting of Pwn2Own Automotive 2026, a global hacking competition sponsored by Tesla and Alpitronic. The programme focused on identifying and addressing vulnerabilities in connected vehicles and supporting technologies, highlighting the growing importance of cybersecurity in the SDV era.
“ Another major draw throughout the event was the Disassembly Showcase, which provided attendees with a close look at the internal architecture of the latest U. S. and Chinese electric vehicles— a rare opportunity for engineers, researchers and OEM representatives,” said RX Japan GK.
AUTOMOTIVE WORLD 2026 was held concurrently with several major industry events, including the 40th anniversary edition of NEPCON JAPAN, Smart Logistics Expo and Factory Innovation Week.
The next editions of AUTOMOTIVE WORLD will take place from 9 – 11 September 2026 at Makuhari Messe and 25 – 27 November 2026 at Aichi Sky Expo. Visitor registration for these trade shows is on: https:// bit. ly / 4l2bJwi n
www. automotiveworld. jp
www. rxjapan. jp / en /
ISMR March 2026 | ismr. net | 7