Austria's voestalpine calls on EU for steel tariff countermeasures, talks with US

Adds CEO comments from press call throughout

Feb 12 (Reuters) - Austrian steelmaker voestalpine VOES.VI on Wednesday called on the European Union for immediate countermeasures and trade negotiations with the U.S. regarding the steel tariffs announced by President Donald Trump earlier this week.

"Trade flows will certainly shift as a result of American tariffs," voestalpine's CEO Herbert Eibensteiner said during a press call, adding this change would "certainly become apparent in the coming months".

The comments echoed those from French peer Aperam APAM.AS, which on Tuesday called on Brussels to intervene to curb imports if the new U.S. tariffs prompt companies to ship more to the EU instead.

"I don't think I'm the only one appealing to the European Union to react to this announcement," Eibensteiner said, calling on the bloc's executives to initiate talks on how reciprocal deliveries from the U.S. to the EU and vice versa would be dealt with in the future.

Trump on Monday substantially raised tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to a flat 25%, a move condemned by the EU, Mexico and Canada.

On Tuesday, the EU said it would respond with "firm and proportionate countermeasures" to the new tariffs.

Earlier on Wednesday, Voestalpine reported a slump in third-quarter earnings and cut its full-year profit outlook, impacted by the weak automotive market in Europe.