Brussels, 9 September 2026 - 75 years after coal and steel helped lay the foundations for European integration, Europe’s steel industry has called for renewed cooperation with policymakers to build a more competitive and sustainable European Union.

Steel industry leaders, European policymakers and representatives from across Europe’s industrial value chains gathered in Brussels last night to mark the 75th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris and the 50th anniversary of the European Steel Association (EUROFER), with European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera as guest of honour.

Signed on 18 April 1951 by six European nations, the Treaty established the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), putting industrial cooperation at the heart of a new European project built on peace and shared prosperity. Henrik Adam, President of EUROFER, said: ‘75 years ago, Europe understood that industry, prosperity and peace were interconnected. Today, competitiveness, climate, security and social cohesion are equally connected. The EU has made an important political choice: it wants to maintain a strong industrial base and continue making steel in Europe. We welcome that commitment. Now we need to turn ambition into results.”

European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera said: “Europe’s industrial strength and its sustainable future must go hand in hand. We want companies to invest, innovate and create good jobs here in Europe. The EU’s responsibility is to help create the conditions for that transformation, and it is industry’s responsibility to deliver it. 75 years after the Treaty of Paris, that spirit of partnership remains essential to ensuring that European industry decarbonises and competes globally.”

During his speech, EUROFER’s President welcomed the significant progress made by the EU, including the Steel and Metals Action Plan, while stressing that this was only one step towards delivering a deeper industrial transformation on the ground. This will require strengthening industries across the value chain to build a competitive “Made in Europe” industrial ecosystem, while significantly reducing energy costs. Competitive and affordable energy, he stressed, is essential if European industry is to decarbonise while continuing to produce and invest in Europe.

President Adam concluded: “European steel is ready to play its part. Europe cannot afford to fall behind while other major economies strengthen their industries. If Europe wants to remain a global force, it needs the industrial strength to do so.”

Notes for editors

Contact
David French, Spokesperson and Head of Communications, +32 2 738 79 35, (d.french@eurofer.eu)

About the European Steel Association (EUROFER)
EUROFER AISBL is located in Brussels and was founded in 1976. It represents the entirety of steel production in the European Union. EUROFER members are steel companies and national steel federations throughout the EU. The major steel companies and national steel federation of Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom are associate members.

The European Steel Association is recorded in the EU transparency register: 93038071152-83.

About the European steel industry
The European steel industry is a world leader in innovation and environmental sustainability. It has a turnover of around €215 billion and directly employs around 298,000 highly-skilled people, producing on average 146 million tonnes of steel per year. More than 500 steel production sites across 22 EU Member States provide direct and indirect employment to millions more European citizens. Closely integrated with Europe’s manufacturing and construction industries, steel is the backbone for development, growth and employment in Europe.

Steel is the most versatile industrial material in the world. The thousands of different grades and types of steel developed by the industry make the modern world possible. Steel is 100% recyclable and therefore is a fundamental part of the circular economy. As a basic engineering material, steel is also an essential factor in the development and deployment of innovative, CO2-mitigating technologies, improving resource efficiency and fostering sustainable development in Europe.