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Economic and steel market outlook 2019-2020, fourth quarter
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Apparent steel consumption fell by 7.7% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2019, after a drop of 1.6% in the first quarter. The negative trend in steel demand is the result of the ongoing slump in EU’s manufacturing sector due to weakened exports and investment that has become more pronounced during the second quarter of this year. Leading indicators forecast a continuation of the downturn for the remainder of the year, with no rebound before the second quarter of 2020.
The current downslide of the manufacturing sector in the EU is not likely to bottom out soon: escalating trade wars between the US and several of its main trading partners and persistent uncertainty regarding Brexit have the potential to severely impact global trade conditions, lead to a further deterioration in business sentiment and curb investment growth. In this scenario, the EU steel sector would be severely impacted, also having to cope with growing import distortions as well as higher volatility as a result of the increase of safeguard measures’ quota both this year and next.
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Letter to Commission President von der Leyen and Executive Vice-President Sejourne'
Brussels, 27 November 2024 – The European steel industry is at a critical juncture, facing irreversible decline unless the EU and Member States take immediate action to secure its future and green transition. Despite repeated warnings from the sector, the EU leadership and governments have yet to implement decisive measures to preserve manufacturing and allow green investments across Europe. Recent massive production cuts and closure announcements by European steelmakers show that time has run out. A robust European Steel Action Plan under an EU Clean Industrial Deal cannot wait or manufacturing value chains across Europe will simply vanish, warns the European Steel Association.
Brussels, 12 November 2024 - Ahead of Commissioner-Designate Séjourné’s hearing in the European Parliament, European steel social partners, supported by cross-party MEPs, jointly call for an EU Steel Action Plan to restore steel’s competitiveness, and save its green transition as well as steelworkers’ jobs across Europe.