Global steel giant ArcelorMittal SA expects steel imports to remain high in the second quarter, as buyers rush to bring material into the European Union ahead of the anticipated tightening of trade safeguard measures in July. The company's Chief Financial Officer stated during an earnings call on Thursday, "We observed a decline in imports during the first quarter, but evidence suggests that import volumes remain elevated, at least in the early part of the second quarter." The EU is expected to implement a new trade policy in July, which will halve steel import quotas. Consequently, traders are accelerating imports before the new regulations take effect. In a related development, the European Steel Association warned in March that imported steel had captured a record 29% share of the EU steel market by the third quarter of 2025. Simultaneously, the company reported robust first-quarter performance. Financial results showed that ArcelorMittal SA achieved first-quarter sales revenue of $15.457 billion, with an EBITDA of $1.679 billion, slightly surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $1.65 billion. Basic earnings per share stood at $0.76. The Chief Executive Officer noted that despite instability in the Middle East, the company delivered a strong first-quarter performance, benefiting from its globally diversified asset portfolio and the continued execution of its strategy. ArcelorMittal SA forecasts that reduced imports, driven by the implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and the new tariff-rate quota system, will help increase the utilization rate of local European production capacity and restore profitability to the industry.