According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the January-July period of this year France's basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to a value of €5.75 billion, increasing by 1.86 percent year on year.

During the period in question, France exported €1.27 billion of steel pipes and tubes - down 1.09 percent, €307.27 million of cold rolled steel strip - up 1.49 percent, €230.83 million of cold drawn wire - up 0.33 percent, €204.38 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 1.95 percent, €407.76 million of metal structures and parts - up 22.05 percent, all compared to January-July 2013.

Meanwhile, in the January-July period of this year France's basic steel product and ferroalloy imports totaled €5.06 billion, down 3.36 percent year on year.

During the given period, France imported €950.30 million of steel pipes and tubes - down 4.98 percent, €373.71 million of cold rolled steel strip - up 4.96 percent, €240.22 million of cold rolled steel bars - up 2.68 percent, €214.1 million of cold drawn wire - down 0.33 percent, and €873.75 million of metal structures and parts - up 14.17 percent, all compared to the same period of the previous year.