According to the statistics released by the Italian steel producers' association Federacciai, in January-July period of the current year Italy's total steel product imports reached 7.31 million metric tons, decreasing by 48.2 percent, while its steel product exports totaled 7,41 million metric tons, down 37.2, both compared to the corresponding period of 2008.
In the period in question Italy's steel billet and semi-finished steel product imports reached 1.59 million metric tons, down 54 percent year on year. Italy imported 81.65 percent of these products from outside European Union member states (EU-27). Meanwhile, country's steel billet and semi-finished steel product exports amounted to 310,000 metric tons, down 50.6 percent year on year.
In the first seven months of the year, Italy's imports of long products decreased by 46.7 percent to 975,000 metric tons, while its long product exports totaled 2.02 million metric tons, down 42 percent, both compared to January-July 2008.
On the other hand, during the given period, Italy's flat product imports reached to 4.04 million metric tons, down 45.6 percent year on year, while its flat product exports amounted to 2.67 million metric tons, with a yearly decrease of 36.5.
A net long product exporter and net flat product importer, 51.58 percent of Italy's total long product exports destined to EU-27, while 59.32 percent of its total flat product imports came from EU-27.