According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the first two months of this year France's basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to a value of €1.6 billion, decreasing by 10.4 percent year on year.

France's steel product and ferroalloy export value has been on a downtrend on year-on-year basis since August last year, with a growing decrease rate. Steel and ferroalloys ranked eighth in the first two months this year among the most exported products of the country, while the aerospace industry was the sector with the highest export value in the January-February period with $7.3 billion.During the period in question, France exported €358 million of steel pipes and tubes - up 1.6 percent, €79 million of cold rolled steel strip - remaining stable, €66.6 million of cold drawn wire - down 5.6 percent, €56.7 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 16.1 percent, €82.5 million of metal structures and parts - down 16.2 percent, all compared to the first two months of 2012.

Meanwhile, in January-February period of this year France's basic steel product and ferroalloy imports totaled €1.45 billion, down 11.2 percent year on year.

During the given period, France imported €270 million of steel pipes and tubes - down 10.2 percent, €99 million of cold rolled steel strip - down 3.6 percent, €67 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 21.6 percent, €60 million of cold drawn wire - down 18.4 percent, and €197 million of metal structures and parts - down 12 percent, all compared to the same period of the previous year.