Washington’s steep tariffs on iron, steel and aluminium are dampening German exports to the US market, with shipments of those materials and related products falling in the January to April period.
German exports of iron, steel and related goods to the United States declined by 0.4% year-on-year to €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion), according to data from the Federal Statistical Office on Wednesday.
Aluminium exports to the US dropped by 1.8% to €218 million over the same period.
The United States introduced additional tariffs of 25% on imports of iron, steel, aluminium and products made from these materials on March 12. These duties were doubled to 50% on June 4.
Declines in US trade still modest
Despite the new trade barriers, the drop in iron and steel exports to the US remained modest compared to the broader decline in Germany’s global trade in the materials.
Overall, German iron and steel exports fell by 4.2% year-on-year to €20.7 billion in the first four months of 2025, the government statisticians said.
The US accounted for just over 6% of Germany’s total iron and steel exports during that period, ranking sixth among key export markets.
For aluminium, the US ranked 10th among Germany’s top export destinations.
Despite the slight drop in shipments to the US, total German aluminium exports rose.
From January to April, German manufacturers exported aluminium and related products worth €6.4 billion, amounting to an 8% increase compared to the same period in 2024.