The EU steel industry employed 331,000 direct workers in 2022 while generating €45.2 billion in added value. Its 132.4 million tonnes of apparent consumption that year fell 4.8%, reflecting a sector under pressure.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, EU steel industry employed 331,000 direct workers, down 1.2% from 2021.
- In 2022, EU apparent steel consumption (ASC) totaled 132.4 million tonnes, a 4.8% drop from 2021.
- In 2022, the European Union produced 126.3 million tonnes of crude steel, marking a 6.2% decline from 2021 levels due to high energy costs.
- In 2022, EU steel industry CO2 emissions totaled 310 million tonnes, 7% below 2018 levels.
- In 2022, EU exported 52.6 million tonnes of steel products, a 10.3% increase from 2021.
European steel production remained resilient in 2023, driven by strong demand and improved efficiency.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment And Economics22 stats
01
In 2022, EU steel industry employed 331,000 direct workers, down 1.2% from 2021.
02
Germany's steel sector jobs 2022: 112,000 FTE.
03
Italy steel employment 2022: 45,300 workers.
04
France steel jobs 2022: 28,500, 15% in R&D.
05
Spain's steel workforce 2022: 22,400 employees.
06
EU steel industry added value 2022: €45.2 billion.
07
Poland steel employment 2022: 18,900 jobs.
08
Belgium steel workers 2022: 12,100.
09
Netherlands steel jobs 2022: 10,200 FTE.
10
Austria employment 2022: 14,500 in steel.
11
EU steel turnover 2022: €168.7 billion.
12
Czech steel jobs 2022: 11,300.
13
Slovakia steel employment 2022: 9,800 workers.
14
Romania jobs in steel 2022: 8,200.
15
Sweden steel workforce 2022: 13,400 high-skill.
16
Hungary steel jobs 2022: 5,600.
17
Finland employment 2022: 7,200 in steel.
18
UK steel jobs 2022: 31,900.
19
EU steel labour productivity 2022: 382 tonnes/worker.
20
EU steel investment 2022: €4.8 billion in capex.
21
Average EU steel wage 2022: €52,300/year.
22
EU steel R&D spending 2022: €1.2 billion.
Interpretation
Employment And Economics Interpretation
In 2022 the EU steel industry employed 331,000 direct workers, a 1.2% decline from 2021, even as it generated €45.2 billion in added value, showing that employment is tightening while the sector’s economic output remains substantial.
02 · Category
Market And Consumption25 stats
01
In 2022, EU apparent steel consumption (ASC) totaled 132.4 million tonnes, a 4.8% drop from 2021.
02
Germany's ASC in 2022 was 37.1 Mt, representing 28% of EU total.
03
Italy's steel use in 2022: 22.6 Mt, down 10.2% due to construction slowdown.
04
France ASC 2022: 13.4 Mt, automotive sector consuming 32%.
05
Spain's apparent consumption 2022: 12.8 Mt, up 2% on exports.
06
EU automotive steel demand 2022: 38.5 Mt, 29% of total ASC.
07
Poland steel consumption 2022: 11.2 Mt, construction 45% share.
08
In Q1 2023, EU ASC was 30.1 Mt, down 12% QoQ.
09
Belgium ASC 2022: 4.2 Mt, machinery sector key driver.
10
EU construction steel demand 2022: 42.3 Mt, 32% of ASC.
11
Netherlands consumption 2022: 5.1 Mt.
12
Austria steel use 2022: 3.8 Mt, down 8%.
13
EU domestic appliances steel demand 2022: 4.7 Mt.
14
Czech ASC 2022: 5.5 Mt, automotive 55%.
15
EU mechanical engineering steel consumption 2022: 28.1 Mt.
16
Slovakia 2022 ASC: 3.9 Mt.
17
In 2022, EU metal products steel use: 15.6 Mt.
18
Romania consumption 2022: 3.4 Mt.
19
Sweden ASC 2022: 3.1 Mt, niche markets strong.
20
EU energy sector steel demand 2022: 6.2 Mt.
21
Hungary steel use 2022: 2.3 Mt.
22
Finland ASC 2022: 2.8 Mt.
23
UK apparent consumption 2022: 8.7 Mt, down 9%.
24
EU shipbuilding steel demand 2022: 1.9 Mt.
25
EU steel price index (HRC) averaged 850 €/tonne in 2022.
Interpretation
Market And Consumption Interpretation
In the Market And Consumption picture for Europe’s steel sector, apparent steel consumption fell to 132.4 million tonnes in 2022, down 4.8% from 2021, and demand was still heavily concentrated in automotive with 38.5 million tonnes or 29% of total ASC.
03 · Category
Production Statistics29 stats
01
In 2022, the European Union produced 126.3 million tonnes of crude steel, marking a 6.2% decline from 2021 levels due to high energy costs.
02
Germany's crude steel production in 2022 was 36.5 million tonnes, accounting for 28.9% of total EU output.
03
Italy's steel production volume in 2022 stood at 21.8 million tonnes, down 12.4% year-over-year amid raw material shortages.
04
France produced 12.1 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, with electric arc furnace (EAF) contributing 45% of total.
05
Spain's crude steel output reached 11.2 million tonnes in 2022, supported by scrap-based EAF production at 72% capacity utilization.
06
The EU-27's pig iron production in 2022 was 50.4 million tonnes, a 8.1% decrease from the previous year.
07
In 2023 Q1, EU hot-rolled coil (HRC) production averaged 8.2 million tonnes, up 4% from Q4 2022.
08
Poland's steel production in 2022 hit 7.9 million tonnes, with 65% from integrated blast furnaces.
09
EU direct reduced iron (DRI) production in 2022 was 2.1 million tonnes, primarily from Sweden and Austria.
10
Belgium's crude steel output in 2022 was 4.6 million tonnes, down 10% due to BF maintenance shutdowns.
11
In 2022, EU steel slab production totaled 28.7 million tonnes, with Germany leading at 9.4 Mt.
12
Austria produced 7.2 million tonnes of crude steel in 2022, 80% via BOF route.
13
EU bloom and billet production in 2022 reached 15.3 million tonnes, up 3% YoY.
14
Netherlands steel production in 2022 was 6.8 million tonnes, focused on long products.
15
In Q2 2023, EU structural steel section production was 1.9 million tonnes.
16
Czech Republic's crude steel output in 2022: 5.1 million tonnes, EAF share 55%.
17
EU wire rod production 2022: 12.4 million tonnes, Italy dominant at 4.2 Mt.
18
Slovakia produced 4.3 million tonnes of steel in 2022, all BOF-based.
19
In 2022, EU heavy plate production was 9.8 million tonnes, down 7%.
20
Romania's steel production: 4.7 Mt in 2022, scrap recycling rate 92%.
21
EU cold-rolled coil output 2022: 14.5 million tonnes.
22
Sweden's crude steel production 2022: 4.5 Mt, 100% scrap-based EAF.
23
In 2023, EU steel production capacity utilization was 72.5%.
24
Hungary's output: 2.1 Mt crude steel 2022.
25
EU rolled products production 2022: 110.2 Mt.
26
Finland produced 3.2 Mt steel in 2022, specialty focus.
27
EU EAF steel production share in 2022: 41.3%.
28
UK's crude steel production 2022: 5.9 Mt, down 15%.
29
EU BOF steel production 2022: 74.2 Mt.
Interpretation
Production Statistics Interpretation
In the European steel production landscape, 2022 saw EU crude steel output fall to 126.3 million tonnes, down 6.2% from 2021, signaling a broad production squeeze driven by higher energy costs and supply constraints.
More related reading
04 · Category
Sustainability And Environment24 stats
01
In 2022, EU steel industry CO2 emissions totaled 310 million tonnes, 7% below 2018 levels.
02
Germany's steel sector emitted 78 Mt CO2 in 2022, 25% of EU total.
03
EU blast furnace CO2 intensity 2022: 1.85 tCO2/t crude steel.
04
Italy's steel recycling rate 2022: 87.5%.
05
France steel energy intensity 2022: 18.2 GJ/t steel.
06
Spain recycled 9.8 Mt scrap in 2022.
07
EU EAF CO2 emissions 2022: 0.35 tCO2/tcs.
08
Poland steel dust emissions controlled to 0.12 kg/t in 2022.
09
EU steel water usage 2022: 12.4 m³/t steel.
10
Belgium BF-BOF plants captured 2.1 Mt CO2 via CCUS pilots 2022.
11
Netherlands steel renewable energy share 2022: 42%.
12
Austria green steel production 2022: 1.2 Mt H2-based.
13
EU steel SOx emissions 2022: down 65% since 1990.
14
Czech steel NOx reductions 2022: 18% YoY.
15
EU scrap input rate 2022: 31.2% of melt shop.
16
Slovakia steel biodiversity projects covered 450 ha in 2022.
17
EU steel H2 use in trials 2022: 150,000 tonnes.
18
Romania wastewater treatment 2022: 98% efficiency.
19
Sweden fossil-free steel milestone: 1 Mt in 2022.
20
EU steel ETS costs 2022: €12.5 billion.
21
Hungary PM emissions 2022: 0.08 g/Nm³.
22
Finland steel forest certification 2022: 100% FSC/PEFC.
23
UK steel decarbonization investment 2022: £500 million.
24
EU steel circular economy index 2022: 92% materials recovered.
Interpretation
Sustainability And Environment Interpretation
In the sustainability and environment picture, EU steel CO2 emissions reached 310 million tonnes in 2022, 7% lower than 2018, while the sector’s progress is also reflected in concrete improvements like a recycling rate of 87.5% in Italy and an energy intensity of 18.2 GJ per tonne in France.
05 · Category
Trade Data22 stats
01
In 2022, EU exported 52.6 million tonnes of steel products, a 10.3% increase from 2021.
02
Germany's steel exports 2022: 22.1 Mt, to EU partners 45%.
03
Italy exported 18.4 Mt steel in 2022, 60% to non-EU.
04
France steel exports 2022: 9.8 Mt, Turkey main destination.
05
Spain's steel exports: 13.2 Mt in 2022, up 15%.
06
EU steel imports 2022: 43.7 Mt, from Asia 55%.
07
Poland exports 2022: 8.6 Mt steel products.
08
Belgium steel trade surplus 2022: 2.1 Mt.
09
In Q1 2023, EU steel exports: 12.4 Mt.
10
Netherlands steel exports 2022: 7.3 Mt.
11
Austria exports: 5.9 Mt in 2022.
12
EU intra-EU steel trade 2022: 78.2 Mt.
13
Czech steel exports 2022: 6.1 Mt.
14
Slovakia exports 2022: 5.4 Mt steel.
15
EU steel imports from China 2022: 12.3 Mt.
16
Romania steel exports 2022: 3.7 Mt.
17
Sweden exports 2022: 4.2 Mt high-value steel.
18
Hungary exports: 2.8 Mt in 2022.
19
Finland steel exports 2022: 3.5 Mt.
20
UK steel exports 2022: 4.1 Mt post-Brexit.
21
EU steel trade balance 2022: +8.9 Mt.
22
EU imports from Turkey 2022: 8.4 Mt steel.
Interpretation
Trade Data Interpretation
In trade data terms, EU steel exports rose to 52.6 million tonnes in 2022 up 10.3% from 2021 while imports totaled 43.7 million tonnes with 55% coming from Asia, showing Europe’s growing outbound sales alongside sustained reliance on Asian sourcing.
report visual · Breakdown
European Steel Industry Snapshot (Jobs & Output Change)
EU steel employment and crude steel production both shifted in 2022, with workforce down and output declining amid cost pressures.
28%
Germany's ASC in 2022 was 37.1 Mt, representing 28% of EU total.
72%
Spain's crude steel output reached 11.2 million tonnes in 2022, supported by scrap-based EAF production at 72% capacity
Reference
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APA
Elena Vasquez. (2026, February 13). European Steel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/european-steel-industry-statistics
MLA
Elena Vasquez. "European Steel Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/european-steel-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Elena Vasquez. 2026. "European Steel Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/european-steel-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
59 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level