EU industrialists ask to reduce regulatory pressure and support decarbonization
The Eurometal Association, representing European distributors of steel, pipes and metal products, stressed the need to harmonize European regulation and support industry on the path to decarbonization.
This was discussed during a high-level stakeholder round table on energy-intensive industries, which was held in the European Parliament. The event was aimed at facilitating a dialogue between policy makers and key industrial players on the future of European competitiveness in the context of the green transition.
Several recurring themes were raised in the discussion. Among them is the urgent need for faster and more predictable legislation, optimization of EU regulatory frameworks and reduction of the number of delegated acts. They also discussed the need to reduce energy costs for industry, in particular for electricity, and to preserve Europe's industrial competitiveness, especially in the face of unfair global practices.
Dominique Laurent, Managing Director of BELMETAL, who represented Eurometal, listed the issues that require the attention of European officials on the path to decarbonization in Europe. He highlighted five main points.
First, there is the need for clear, stable, and harmonized regulation, especially regarding CBAM, CSRD, and ESPR, to support investment planning and compliance. In addition, it is important to stimulate demand to accelerate the consumption of low-carbon steel. Targeted retraining and training programmes are also needed that cover participants in the value chain, including SMEs.
Laurent noted the need to recognize the reuse of steel within the framework of ESG and environmental policy of public procurement. At the same time, there is a need to support logistics infrastructure and cost-effective low-emission transportation solutions.