According to Serbian Economist, the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina are considering the introduction of a temporary duty of 30% on imports of steel and steel products for a period of 200 days. The proposal was prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations at the request of Nova Željezara Zenica, the final decision after public consultations should be made by the Council of Ministers of BiH.
The initiative is explained by a sharp increase in the supply of certain categories of metal products. According to the Ministry, in 2025, imports of reinforcement mesh in BiH increased by 192.87% compared to the average of the previous four years, with Serbia being the largest supplier, with more than 9,000 tons, which is 408% higher than the 2021-2024 average. In second place was Italy (7,794 tons, about double the previous level).
Separately, the dynamics of imports from Turkey are pointed out: the supply of rebar in coils in 2025 increased by 885% relative to the four-year average, while imports of bars increased by 229.56%. The ministry believes that this creates pressure from foreign producers and leads to underutilization of local capacity.
In an explanation of the initiative, the ministry notes the risk of increased dependence of the construction sector on imports and warns of possible consequences, including job cuts, lower budget revenues, falling investment and higher prices on the domestic market.
The decision is being discussed against the backdrop of Serbia’s recent protective measures: as of January 1, 2026, Belgrade introduced a temporary import quota scheme for a number of iron and steel products (as well as Portland cement) with an additional duty of 50% on shipments above the quotas.
Nova Željezara Zenica itself, acquired last year by H&P Zvornik (Pavgord Group), had previously initiated bankruptcy proceedings against the company, explaining that it had been insolvent for a long time.
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The Kametstal plant, part of the Metinvest mining and metallurgical group (Kamensk, Dnipropetrovsk region) took into account the demands of the Ukrainian and European markets in 2025, expanding its range of continuously cast billets (CCB) by four items and its range of sought-after rolled products by three items.
According to the company, in 2025 Kametstal once again confirmed its leading position among Metinvest’s metallurgical enterprises in terms of the number of new products developed. Of the 11 new types of metal products brought to market, seven are the work of the Kametstal team.
It is specified that the achievements of the steelmakers of the converter shop include four new steel grades: 10U1, 20U, 26G2TR, and S355NL-1N with enhanced requirements for chemical composition, primarily in terms of sulfur and phosphorus content.
The casting of new steel grades into continuously cast billets with a cross-section of 335×400 mm has been mastered at continuous casting machine No. 2, where the reconstruction of electrical equipment was completed last year. This, in particular, contributed to the stabilization of the casting speed and, consequently, to the improvement of the cutting accuracy of billets, minimizing metal waste. The purpose of the new semi-finished products is the manufacture of round rolled products and their further processing into seamless pipes for critical applications.
The rolling mill team offered Ukrainian and European consumers three new product ranges that had not previously been produced at the plant. First and foremost, these are 8-32 mm diameter rebars for the Polish and Romanian markets, the production of which has been mastered on the 400/200 mill. Thanks to certification in accordance with the building standards of these countries, Metinvest has already shipped more than 100,000 tons of B500SP class rebar to Poland in 2025.
The ball mill has mastered the production of 100 mm diameter grinding balls with high surface and volume hardness, which corresponds to the fifth group. By experimentally determining the optimal heat treatment mode after rolling, specialists have achieved stable production of products with increased wear resistance, which is necessary for the stable and efficient operation of the company’s mining and processing plants.
Kametstal is part of the Metinvest Group.
In 2025, AMKR increased steel production by 2.3% to 1 million 688.9 thousand tonnes. This is the second consecutive year of positive dynamics after a sharp recovery in 2024.
The growth was made possible by the team’s efforts to stabilise the operation of key units in wartime conditions. However, as noted by management, production operated with restrictions due to unstable power supply and the need for constant re-planning of work due to attacks on the power grid.
At the end of the year, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) put additional pressure on export-oriented production, the effects of which the company expects to feel as early as 2026.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is the largest producer of rolled steel in Ukraine. It specialises in the production of long products, in particular, rebar and wire rod. The company has a full production cycle, with production capacities designed for an annual output of over 6 million tonnes of steel, more than 5 million tonnes of rolled products and over 5.5 million tonnes of pig iron.
ArcelorMittal owns Ukraine’s largest mining and metallurgical complex, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, and a number of small companies, including ArcelorMittal Beryslav.
Ukrainian metallurgical companies may increase steel production by 17% in 2026, to 8.9 million tons from 7.6 million tons in 2025, said Serhiy Povazhnyuk, deputy director of the state-owned enterprise Ukrpromzovnishchexpertiza, in an interview with telegraf.com.ua.
According to him, the main factors limiting production were security-related military risks, staff shortages, unstable electricity supplies due to missile and drone strikes on energy infrastructure, and the continuing shortage of scrap metal on the domestic market.
“As for the forecast for 2026, metallurgical plants have already announced plans to significantly increase liquid steel production, to approximately 8.9 million tons,” the expert said.
At the same time, he noted that the Ukrainian metallurgical industry is experiencing an acute shortage of ferrous metal scrap, in particular due to the growth in exports of this raw material abroad.
“If metallurgical plants manage to implement the planned increase in production, there may simply not be enough scrap metal collected. Domestic consumers should be given priority in terms of raw material supplies, especially now, during wartime,” said Povazhnyuk.
He cited calculations according to which 1 ton of scrap metal, which is processed into metal products at Interpipe’s facilities, for which scrap is the main raw material, brings the state UAH 7,500 in taxes. In addition, 1 ton of scrap used at Metinvest Group’s plants generates about UAH 9,300 in tax revenues to budgets at all levels.
As Povazhnyuk emphasized, this is a direct benefit that the state receives by keeping all scrap metal in the country and processing it into steel. In addition, such processing has a multiplier effect on the entire economy, as it stimulates growth in related industries, such as the production of iron ore, coke, and ferroalloys.
“All this needs to be transported within the country, which means that the transport industry receives additional cargo. According to calculations, these sectors will pay an additional 5.5-5.8 thousand UAH in taxes to the budget per ton of scrap metal consumed. Therefore, the total effect for the budget from processing 1 ton of scrap metal in Ukraine will be 13-14 thousand hryvnia/ton. In addition to cash inflows to the budget, metallurgical plants provide tens of thousands of official jobs for themselves and related enterprises,” the deputy director argued.
In addition, Povazhnyuk stated that exporters pay taxes and payroll charges (personal income tax, social security contributions, military tax), land tax, and income tax.
“According to our data, in 2024, the largest exporting companies, which accounted for almost 90% of Ukrainian scrap metal exports, exported a total of 247,000 tons of raw materials abroad, paying a total of only UAH 12.3 million in taxes. Thus, the state received an average of UAH 50 in taxes for each ton of scrap metal exported. The official number of employees in these companies was only a few dozen people,” said the expert, specifying that the calculations were made based on open data on the financial performance of companies available through the OpenDataBot service and other public sources.
At the same time, Poland has begun discussing the abolition of trade preferences for the Ukrainian metallurgical industry due to Ukraine’s intentions to introduce a de facto ban on the export of ferrous metal scrap. This was written on his social media page by Michal Poluboczek, a member of the Polish Sejm from the Confederation party.
According to the draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers “On the approval of lists of goods subject to licensing for export and import, and quotas for 2026,” it is proposed to set the quota for ferrous metal scrap for the next year at zero, which means a de facto ban on the export of ferrous metal scrap.
As reported, in January-November 2025, Ukrainian scrap collection companies increased exports of ferrous metal scrap by 45.3% compared to the same period in 2024, from 261,578 thousand tons to 380,165 thousand tons. In monetary terms, scrap exports increased by 37.4% to $112.782 million from $82.056 million. During the period in question, scrap exports were formally carried out mainly to Poland (79.80% of shipments in monetary terms), Greece (7.61%), and Italy (5.70%).
In addition, it was reported that due to the sharp increase in exports of strategic raw materials from Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy initiated the introduction of a licensing and quota regime for scrap exports with a zero quota. A public discussion of the draft resolution is currently underway. Its implementation is expected to contribute to the smooth operation of Ukraine’s metallurgical and foundry industries, as well as to stabilize the situation with regard to meeting the demand for scrap on the domestic market.
In 2024, Ukraine’s scrap collection companies increased their exports of ferrous metal scrap by 60.7% compared to 2023, from 182,465 thousand tons to 293,190 thousand tons. In monetary terms, scrap exports for the year increased by 73.2% to $91.311 million from $52.723 million.
Earlier, Valentin Makarenko, chairman of the board of Interpipe Vtormet, said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine that ferrous metal scrap exports have always been and remain a threat to the Ukrainian metallurgical industry, as they exacerbate the shortage of this raw material on the domestic market. In addition, this problem is compounded by the fact that during the war, the area suitable for scrap collection is shrinking.
Previously, large metallurgical plants most often compensated for the shortage of scrap mainly by increasing the consumption of pig iron during steel smelting. However, due to the shutdown of the Pokrovsk coal mining group and the increase in coking coal imports, replacing scrap with pig iron has become economically unfeasible in converter steel production.
According to Makarenko, at the same time, the importance of scrap as a raw material for decarbonization of industry is growing. The electrometallurgical method of steel smelting is becoming the most efficient and popular for the manufacture of metal products and their subsequent sale on European markets in order to minimize the impact of the “carbon” tax. Recognizing this trend, the European Union is resorting to various regulatory measures that allow ferrous metal scrap to remain within the bloc, and local steel mills have the raw materials to produce steel in the most economical and environmentally friendly way.
“Today, I don’t see any other effective mechanisms for stabilizing the market and reducing scrap exports, except for an administrative ban on the export of this strategic raw material outside Ukraine at the state level,” the chairman of the board summed up.
For more information on the largest steel producers and global industry trends, see the Experts Club video analysis review available on YouTube: Experts Club — Leaders of the global steel industry 1990–2024
In November of this year, Ukrainian metallurgical companies increased steel production by 18.5% compared to the same period last year, from 541,000 tons to 641,000 tons, but decreased by 1.1% compared to the previous month (648,000 tons).
In the ranking of global producers of this product, compiled by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel), Ukraine ranked 20th among 70 countries.
According to Worldsteel, in November 2025, there was a decrease in steel production compared to November 2024 in half of the top ten countries, except for India, the US, Turkey, Iran, and Brazil.
The top ten steel-producing countries in November were as follows: China – 69.870 million tons (down 10.9% from November 2024), India – 13.713 million tons (up 10.8%), the US – 6.8 million tons (+8.5%), Japan – 6.774 million tons (-1.6%), Russia – 5.190 million tons (-6.6%), South Korea – 4.965 million tons (-4.8%), Iran – 3.356 million tons (+9.2%), Turkey – 3.312 million tons (+10%), Germany – 2.841 million tons (-2.6%), and Brazil – 2.8 million tons (+0.7%).
Overall, steel production in November this year decreased by 4.6% compared to the same period last year, to 140.130 million tons.
Based on the results of the first 11 months of this year, the top ten steel-producing countries are as follows: China – 891.670 million tons (-4% compared to January-November 2024), India – 150.062 million tons (+10.3%), the US – 75.103 million tons (+3.2%), Japan – 74.102 million tons (-3.9%), Russia – 61.774 million tons (-5%), South Korea – 56.109 million tons (-3.7%), Turkey – 34.589 million tons (+2%), Germany – 31.346 million tons (-9.3%), Brazil – 30.788 million tons (-1.5%), and Iran – 28.798 million tons (+0.1%).
Over the first 11 months of this year, Ukrainian steel companies reduced steel production by 3.1% compared to the same period last year, from 7.028 million tons to 6.813 million tons. The country ranked 21st.
Overall, global steel production in January-November 2025 decreased by 2% compared to the same period in 2024, to 1 billion 662.222 million tons.
As reported, at the end of 2024, the top ten steel-producing countries among 71 countries were as follows: China – 1 billion 5.090 million tons (-1.7%), India – 149.587 million tons (+6.3%), Japan – 84.009 million tons (-3.4%), the US – 79.452 million tons (-2.4%), Russia – 70.690 million tons (-7%), South Korea – 63.531 million tons (-4.7%), Germany – 37.234 million tons (+5.2%), Turkey – 36.893 million tons (+9.4%), Brazil – 33.741 million tons (+5.3%), and Iran – 30.952 million tons (+0.8%).
In total, 71 countries produced 1 billion 839.449 million tons of steel last year, which is 0.9% less than in 2023.
At the same time, Ukraine produced 7.575 million tons of steel in 2024, which is 21.6% higher than in 2023 (6.228 million tons). The country ranked 20th in 2024.
In 2023, China produced 1 billion 19.080 million tons (at the level of the previous year), India – 140.171 million tons (+11.8%), Japan – 86.996 million tons (-2.5%), the US – 80.664 million tons (+0.2%), Russia – 75.8 million tons (+5.6%), South Korea – 66.676 million tons (+1.3%), Germany – 35.438 million tons (-3.9%), Turkey – 33.714 million tons (-4%), Brazil – 31.869 million tons (-6.5%), and Iran – 31.139 million tons (+1.8%). In total, 71 countries produced 1 billion 849.734 million tons of steel in 2023, which is 0.1% less than in 2022.
At the same time, Ukraine produced 6.228 million tons of steel in 2023, which is 0.6% less than in 2022. The country ranked 22nd in 2023.
At the end of 2022, the top ten steel-producing countries were as follows: China – 1.013 billion tons (-2.1%), India – 124.720 million tons (+5.5%), Japan – 89.235 million tons (-7.4%), the US – 80.715 million tons (-5.9%), Russia – 71.5 million tons (-7.2%), South Korea – 65.865 million tons (-6.5%), Germany – 36.849 million tons (-8.4%), Turkey – 35.134 million tons (-12.9%), Brazil – 33.972 million tons (-5.8%), and Iran – 30.593 million tons (+8%).
Ukraine ranked 23rd in 2022 with 6.263 million tons of steel (-70.7%).
In total, 64 countries produced 1 billion 831.467 million tons of steel in 2022, which is 4.3% less than in 2021.
Earlier, the Experts Club analytical center released a video analysis of the world’s leading steel producers from 2001 to 2024 – https://youtube.com/shorts/VgUU9MEMosE?si=c5yD04gmNtJoFblB
According to preliminary data, Ukrainian metallurgical companies increased their total rolled steel production by 3.9% in January-November this year compared to the same period last year, from 5.741 million tons to 5.966 million tons.
According to information from the Ukrmetallurgprom association on Monday, steel production during this period fell by 3.1% to 6.813 million tons. In November, 589,100 tons of rolled steel and 641,100 tons of steel were produced.
For more information on the largest steel producers and global industry trends, see the Experts Club video analysis review available on YouTube: Experts Club — Leaders of the global steel industry 1990–2024
