Despite the international economic crisis, the European Union has managed to maintain its important position in the world exports of metalwork manufactures, with slight imbalances recorded on its markets in 2010 and under circumstances of little importance for western European economies that have been actively competing with the Chinese economy. The metalworking industry is an important engine for the European economy, since it accounts for 10 % of the total added value of the manufacturing industries which amount to 7,5 % of its output volume. The present paper focuses on the role and the contribution of foreign direct investments (FDI) to the development and growth of this particular sector in the domestic economies of the EU.