The report

More imports than exports, Europe 2024 trade deficit for aluminium

Describing the scenario for the EU countries is the Eurostat report, which compiles data on the basis of a series of parameters relating to what, in some cases, is considered the material of the future

28 July 2025

3' min read

Imports exceed exports: it was a trade deficit year 2024 for aluminium in Europe. Last year, the EU imported EUR 29.4 billion worth of aluminium and related items against EUR 18.4 billion worth of exports, resulting in a trade deficit of EUR 11.1 billion. Describing the scenario for the EU countries is the Eurostat report, which compiles data on the basis of a series of parameters relating to what, in some cases, is considered the material of the future.

29.9% growth in 2019

The figures presented in the report are clear even though, they show diluted growth over time. Compared to 2019, aluminium imports increased by 29.9 per cent or EUR +6.8 billion and exports increased by 21.3 per cent or EUR +3.2 billion. "These monetary increases occurred despite a decline in the physical weight of exports by 1.7 per cent," Eurostat writes, "and imports by 6.2 per cent, suggesting that the increase in value was mainly driven by rising prices.

More imports from Norway and China

Most of the aluminium imported in 2024, as well as most of the various products of the same material, came from Norway and China with significant volumes of EUR 4.4 billion, 15.0% of total imports, and EUR 3.9 billion, 13.1%, respectively. Then there are Turkey with EUR 2.8 billion and a share of 9.4%, Iceland with EUR 2.1 billion and a share of 7.3%, and finally Switzerland: EUR 1.7 billion and a share of 5.8%.

"Among these top 5 countries," reads the Eurostat report, "imports (in value) from Iceland more than doubled with +104.9 per cent compared to 2019 and in the case of Turkey they almost doubled +95.4 per cent.

United Kingdom in the lead for exports

As far as the export chapter is concerned, the UK tops the list with EUR 3.7 billion of aluminium and a share of 19.9% of total exports, followed by the US with EUR 2.6 billion and a share of 14.1%, and Switzerland with EUR 2.4 billion and a share of 12.8%. In fourth place was Turkey with o with EUR 0.9 billion and a 5.0%e and India in fifth place with EUR 0.8 billion and a 4.5% share.

Primary and secondary aluminium in Italy

In Italy, where there is an estimated average annual requirement of about 2.2 million tonnes of aluminium, imports mainly concern the so-called primary aluminium, which is worth about 1.3 million tonnes. Because, having closed the Fusina and Portovesme plants (now being restructured for a restart), there is still no line producing this material. 'Until the closure of the two plants,' says Franco Bardi, secretary of the south-west Sardinia Chamber of Labour, 'we were able to produce 200,000 tonnes per year of primary, an important figure but not enough to meet requirements. It is clear that once those production lines stopped, Italy had to import everything'. Then there is the so-called secondary aluminium, which, as Bardi, who has personally followed all the events related to the former Alcoa plant, now Sider Alloys, points out, "comes from remelting and has a significant market. In this case, production is around 900 thousand tonnes. "We are faced with a sector in which it is necessary, today more than ever, to invest," says the trade unionist. "In the light of what is happening in the international scenarios, we are convinced that it is indispensable for the country and the entire European framework to strengthen and enhance these productions in order to reach a sort of sustainable independence.