Steel exports from Italy, the European Union's No. 2 producer after Germany, rose 15 percent year-on-year to 2.724 million tons in the first two months of 2011, lagging behind surging import volumes, industry data showed.

Total steel imports into Italy jumped 32.5 percent year-on-year to 3.201 million tonnes in the January-February period, according to updated data from industry body Federacciai.

In the first three months of 2011, Italy's steel output rose 8 percent to 6.962 million tonnes, Federacciai has said.

To other countries in the European Union, Italy's main export market, its exports increased 24.4 percent to 2 million tons in the first two months, while imports rose 14.7 percent to 1.512 million tons.

In trade with countries outside the 27-nation bloc, Italy's steel exports fell 3.5 percent to 1.164 million tonnes in the first three months of 2011, while imports jumped 39.9 percent to 2.625 million tons, Federacciai said, without giving EU figures for the January-March period. (Reuters)