Steel

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    • Steel is the backbone of the American economy and critical to our national and economic security. The administration is committed to effective trade actions that ensure the long-term viability of the sector and ensure that our steelworkers and producers can compete on a level playing field.

    U.S. engagement in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Steel Committee, the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC), and on a bilateral basis with like-minded partners is critical to building global support for effective trade actions that address the impact of excess capacity and non-market policies and practices on our steelworkers and steel producers. As global steel excess capacity is expected to rise from 601 million tons in 2024 to 745 million tons by 2028, reaching its highest level in a decade, it is critical that we work with our partners to address this shared challenge. Analytical work by the OECD and the GFSEC on non-market policies and practices that contribute to excess steel capacity and production, including subsidies, preferential treatment of state-owned enterprises, state-directed commercial decision making, export restrictions on steelmaking raw materials, among others, are critical to informing our understanding of excess capacity and potential actions that effectively address its effects. 

    OECD Steel Committee

    The United States supports research and analysis by the OECD on the latest market, capacity, and trade policy developments impacting the steel sector. The OECD also investigates market-distorting government support measures and other non-market policies and practices that contribute to excess capacity and disadvantage U.S. steelworkers and producers. To ensure viable steel industries, governments and industry need to come together to reduce market distortions, level the playing field, and address the root causes of global excess capacity. The OECD Steel Committee provides a critical platform for governments and industries to work together to address these shared challenges. 

    The OECD Steel Outlook is an annual analysis of the world steel market. It provides the most up-to-date figures and the medium-term outlook showing developments in the world steel market by area, including apparent consumption, trade and production trends in the steel industry globally. For Steel Outlook 2026, see: OECD Steel Outlook 2026 (EN)

    Other recent Steel Committee Papers highlighting the worsening global steel crisis and the  non-market policies and practices:

    Additional OECD Steel Committee Papers can be found at the following link: https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/sub-issues/steel.html.

    Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity 

    The Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC) is an international platform to find and implement collective solutions to the challenge of excess capacity and enhance market functioning in the steel sector.

    It brings together policy makers and industry stakeholders to share information and cooperate in line with the call of G20 Leaders at the Hangzhou Summit in September 2016. The GFSEC was formally established in December 2016 in Berlin. Global Forum members include many of the largest steel producing economies in the world.

    The Global Forum is an open platform where members participate on an equal footing. It aims to broaden its membership and is open to all steel-producing economies committed to pursuing its mission. The GFSEC is facilitated by the OECD, which provides technical, analytical and meeting assistance to support the Global Forum, its steering group and chairmanship.

    The third quarterly GFSEC Steel Excess Capacity Monitoring Bulletin is now available. See,  Q2 2026 GFSEC Excess Capacity Bulletin.pdf. This new edition provides a global overview of recent trends in steel excess capacity, steel trade flows, trade remedy initiations and export prices for key economies.

    Related Links (U.S. Government):

    Related links (Plurilateral and Multilateral Organizations):

    Related Links (Industry and Labor Groups):