Austria's voestalpine calls on EU for steel tariff countermeasures, talks with US (updated)

Voestalpine AG

12/02/2025 11:27

(Adds CEO comments from press call throughout)
       Feb 12 (Reuters) - Austrian steelmaker voestalpine
 VOES.VI  on Wednesday called on the European Union for
immediate countermeasures and trade negotiations with the U.S.
regarding the steel tariffs announced by President Donald Trump
earlier this week.
    "Trade flows will certainly shift as a result of American
tariffs," voestalpine's CEO Herbert Eibensteiner said during a
press call, adding this change would "certainly become apparent
in the coming months".
    The comments echoed those from French peer Aperam  APAM.AS ,
which on Tuesday called on Brussels to intervene to curb imports
if the new U.S. tariffs prompt companies to ship more to the EU
instead.
    "I don't think I'm the only one appealing to the European
Union to react to this announcement," Eibensteiner said, calling
on the bloc's executives to initiate talks on how reciprocal
deliveries from the U.S. to the EU and vice versa would be dealt
with in the future.
    Trump on Monday substantially raised tariffs on steel and
aluminium imports to a flat 25%, a move condemned by the EU,
Mexico and Canada. 
    On Tuesday, the EU said it would respond with "firm and
proportionate countermeasures" to the new tariffs.
    Earlier on Wednesday, Voestalpine reported a slump in
third-quarter earnings and cut its full-year profit outlook,
impacted by the weak automotive market in Europe.

 (Reporting by Marleen Kaesebier and Kirsti Knolle; Editing by
Milla Nissi)
 ((marleen.kaesebier@thomsonreuters.com;))