Turkey's steel product exports to the European Union in the first half of 2012 fell by 43.2 percent year on year to 1.35 million metric tons, according to the data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). The region was one of Turkey's major export markets in the first half of 2011, accounting for 23.8 percent of its total steel product exports in this period. In January-June 2011, steel product exports from Turkey to the EU had increased by 117.6 percent year on year.
In the first half of this year, Turkey's steel product exports to Italy amounted to 217,665 metric tons, down 75 percent compared to January-June 2011.
In the given period, Turkey's steel exports to the EU included 59,080 mt of steel section, 36,694 mt of rebar, 33,385 mt of wire rod, 24,347 mt of steel billet and 2,221 mt of steel pipes.