Market participants called for the development of a competitive industry, the creation of a support system that would make it possible to finance the transition to energy, and the elimination of loopholes that allow products to be imported from third countries, which creates unfair competition.
The comments were made at a recent conference "Creating the Future: Key factors for a competitive EU steel Industry".
All these challenges are associated with enormous difficulties, such as reaching agreements within the EU, taking into account the many interests of its member states, representatives of the steel industry noted during a seminar held last week in Aviles by the Commission on Economic Policy at the European Committee of the Regions (CoR).
.According to Philippe Meyran, executive director of ArcelorMittal in Spain, EU policy should be aimed at stimulating consumption of low-emission steel. Maintaining a strong steel industry is essential for the economies of developed countries and social welfare.
"We have to solve the problems of Europe by solving the problems of the steel industry," commented Meyran on the event, which was watched by Callanish. "Companies should be profitable, but we have problems, for example, with dumping from third countries, taxes on CO2 emissions, which account for 25% of costs, energy prices and high wages compared to other non-EU producers."
The Executive Director explained that the sector should have a level playing field across Europe, with sufficient electricity production at an affordable price to achieve decarbonization goals and an adequate electricity transmission network.
His point of view was supported by Isolde Rice, a member of the European Parliament from Germany, who warned of the risk of a legal gap that allows Chinese goods to enter the EU through Turkey.
"We need real protectionist measures, an abundance of energy at affordable prices, and solidarity," she said.
"Europe needs a decarbonized steel sector, and it must promote low-emission products while raising public awareness of the need to consume them, even if it means paying a little more," she concluded.
The European Commission is considering the possibility of including the steel industry, in particular the metalworking sector, in its new protection plan. Alberto Cirio, President of the Commission for Economic Affairs, explained that the CoR is in the final stages of preparing its report on the action plan, and the conclusions drawn from it will be very important for the final
