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Urgent action needed to safeguard the European steel sector and jobs!
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European steel is at the heart of European industry and is responsible for 310,000 direct, and 2.2 million indirect jobs, in the EU. The triple energy, raw material and cost of living crises means that strong social dialogue and support at national and European level is more important than ever to safeguard the sector and protect jobs.
With energy costs around seven times higher than before the crisis and carbon at 70€/t, the European steel sector is buckling under huge bills, much higher than in those in other steel producing regions. The illegal invasion of Ukraine, which exasperated the energy crisis, has also led to a massive decrease or stoppage of traditional raw materials supply from Russia and Ukraine, such as iron ore, requiring European companies sourcing from other destinations at much higher costs. Furthermore, workers and citizens are suffering with EU inflation at 10% (September 2022).
The European Social Partners, the European Steel Association (EUROFER) and industriAll European Trade Union (industriAll Europe), call for urgent action to safeguard the European steel sector and protect these high skilled, quality jobs in Europe while also working towards a carbon-lean, environmentally responsible, circular, and internationally competitive European steel sector.
The twin green and digital transitions have never been more challenging, and additional investment and support will be needed to ensure that these transitions are a success 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.
Signed in Brussels, 17 October 2022
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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.
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