We need a new EU Action Plan to fight for the future of European steel.

The European steel sector is facing a real crisis with an increase in imports of cheap steel, a decrease in demand, challenges in accessing raw materials, an increase in pressure to decarbonise and an increase in global overcapacity (outside the EU).

Luis Colunga, Deputy General Secretary of industriAll Europe, said:
“The message from European steel workers is clear: we need urgent action at national and European level to fight for the future production of European steel. For too long now European workers have borne the brunt of unfair trading practices from non-EU countries and this needs to stop. We demand that European workers are protected from unfair international trade!

We need fair international competition, and this goes much farther than tariffs and quotas. We need a level playing field, and that includes the challenge of decarbonising the steel industry. Why should Europe suffer from high carbon prices while other countries produce huge amounts of steel without any attempt to decarbonise their industry?

IndustriAll Europe supports the development of lean CO2 steel, this is the future of our industry, but we need companies, national governments and the EU to get behind this challenge and truly invest in the future of European steel production. We must avoid carbon and investment leakage at all costs, and we must keep jobs here in Europe!’’

IndustriAll Europe will now develop their proposal for a new EU Action Plan for Steel with their members to present to the European Commission and the European Parliament. Trade Unions will also ask steel companies to support the future of EU steel production by investing in their plants to ensure that the best and cleanest steel can be produced in Europe.

Luis Colunga added:
‘’There is no industrial future in Europe without steel and we want good quality low CO2 steel produced here in Europe to form part of the future industrial strategy. Clean steel is key in Europe’s fight to decarbonise Europe and we want European steel workers to be part of the solution.’’

Contact Elsbeth Hathaway for more information and further comment.