Posted on 25 Apr 2025
The French government, along with other European nations, will advocate for heightened protectionist measures against steel imports originating from China, government spokesperson Sophie Primas said on Thursday.
Primas told French news channel Cnews that certain initial quota measures have been implemented; however, the French government will take a leading role in advocating for European steel interests.
This is in reaction to ArcelorMittal's declaration that it will eliminate 600 jobs across seven northern French sites. Primas indicated that overcapacity in Chinese steel production is a contributing factor to the current crisis.
French economy minister Marc Ferracci is scheduled to meet with ArcelorMittal to assess the severity of the situation and gain insights into the steelmaker’s decision to pause the decarbonisation plan at its Dunkirk site. “It is imperative to accelerate the European process for steel protection,” Primas said.
Primas did not specify which Chinese-origin steel products she was referring to. The EU imported around 3.4 million tonnes of chapter 72 iron ore and steel from China in 2024, over 1mt of which was coated flat steel, for which China is already assigned EU safeguard quotas, Kallanish notes.
ArcelorMittal France’s plan to reduce its workforce by 600 in the north of the country will affect seven locations, including Dunkirk, Florange, Basse-Indre, Mardyck, Mouzon, Desvres and Montataire.
“As the European steel industry is facing a crisis marked by a 20% drop in demand over five years and a sharp rise in imports, which now account for 30% of the market, ArcelorMittal France North must continuously review its efficiency and competitiveness,” ArcelorMittal says in a note (see separate article).
Source:Kallanish
