ArcelorMittal sees EU steel imports staying high

April 30 (Reuters) - Steel imports into the European Union should remain high in the second quarter as buyers rush material ‌into the bloc before tighter safeguards take effect, ArcelorMittal's finance chief said on Thursday.

Genuino Christino said imports were still elevated at the start of the second quarter even after easing in the first.

"We saw imports coming down in quarter one, but evidence suggests that imports, at least at the beginning of quarter two, are still elevated," he said on a call with analysts.

The EU is expected to start a new trade policy in July that will halve steel ‌import quotas. Christino said higher freight rates and longer shipping times linked to disruption from the war in the Middle East were unlikely to delay arrivals.

The European Steel Association, known as Eurofer, warned in March that imports reached a record 29% share of the EU steel market in the third quarter of 2025.

The Luxembourg-based company posted first-quarter core earnings of $1.68 billion, narrowly beating analysts' average estimate of $1.65 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.