News » Joint Statement: European social partners commit to working towards a competitive transition of the European steel sector
Joint Statement: European social partners commit to working towards a competitive transition of the European steel sector
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With energy and raw material costs remaining high, global overcapacity continuing to increase, and no end in sight for the cost-of-living crisis in Europe, the European steel social partners, industriAll European Trade Union and EUROFER commit to continue to work together to support the twin green and digital transition of the European steel industry and its workers.
European steel is essential for the green transition and is at the heart of European industry providing 310,000 direct, and 2.2 million indirect jobs, in the EU. Ahead of the EU elections in 2024, various pieces of EU legislation need to be finalised with the aim of ensuring a more sustainable future for the steel industry in Europe.
Now more than ever, the European steel sector and its workers need to see increased support for investment to ensure that the green and digital transitions are managed successfully with no steel worker or region being left behind.
European Social Partners:
The European Social Partners will continue to work together and with national and European policy makers to ensure the survival of the European steel sector.
27 November 2023
Strasbourg, 07 October 2025 – The new trade measure presented today by the European Commission is a long-awaited proposal to forcefully defend the European steel sector, in full respect of WTO rules, from unfair imports flooding the EU market due to massive global overcapacity. The provisions unveiled by the Commission respond to the needs of the sector and represent a real lifeline for EU steelmakers and steelworkers. The European Parliament and the Council should therefore adopt it as a matter of urgency to enable its entry into force at the beginning of 2026, says the European Steel Association (EUROFER).
Brussels, 01/10/2025
With Europe’s steel industry at breaking point, industriAll Europe and the European Steel Association (EUROFER) held an emergency steel social summit to demand urgent action. Ahead of the announced Commission proposal addressing the impact of global steel excess capacity on the EU steel market, due by mid-October, the European social partners are united in calling for robust and effective trade measures. They also insist on fast and urgent implementation of the EU Steel and Metals Action Plan, especially concerning energy prices and demand. Maintaining the level of political ambition as promised in the EU Steel and Metals Action Plan is essential to restore steel’s competitiveness and save its green transition as well as steelworkers’ jobs across Europe.
Brussels, 19 September 2025 – Following today’s meeting between Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič and a delegation of European steel CEOs on the global steel crisis and the challenges facing the EU steel industry amid massive decarbonisation investments: