With the EU elections having taken place in May 2019, Europe is setting new priories and direction for the future. As an industry at the heart of the EU economy, the European steel industry is saying to policy makers: we need to innovate, trade, sustain and upskill to ensure a prosperous future for Europe and its citizens.
In the light of slowing demand, both generally and specifically for steel, persistently high global overcapacity of 550 million tonnes – 25% of global production capacity – high and volatile raw material and carbon prices, and surging imports, the European steel industry is facing potential crisis.
This manifesto sets out the footprint and importance of European steel to the EU economy, and explains why we need to make the industry more innovative, skilled and sustainable while also ensuring there is a robust trade policy that defends the sector against the challenges posed by overcapacity and trade surges.
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Brussels, 22 March 2024 – The future of a strong and resilient EU can only be forged with steel made in Europe. Europe-made low-carbon steel has a strategic role as it enables a net-zero economy, but today it faces strong headwinds from high energy prices, unfair competition, global overcapacity and growing unilateral carbon costs. The year 2023 has recorded the lowest European crude steel production levels ever, with a number of idled plants and dire impact on workers. Ensuring the enabling conditions for the short-term viability and the decarbonisation of the steel sector urgently needs to be at the top of the EU agenda. This is the message delivered by the European Steel Association together with a number of high-level representatives of the sector on the occasion of the Clean Transition Dialogue on Steel in the presence of the Executive Vice Presidents of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič and Margrethe Vestager.
Uses, limits, and realistic potentials of demand-side response from the European steel industry along with a broad set of framework recommendations for an EU policy
Antwerp, 20 February 2024 – Today 73 industry leaders spanning almost 20 industrial sectors presented ‘The Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal’ to Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo and Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen. The declaration underlines the commitment of industry to Europe and its transformation and outlines urgent industry needs to make Europe competitive, resilient, and sustainable in the face of dire economic conditions.