European steel sector urges EU to include processed products in CBAM

Europe's steel and steel sector is facing a structural crisis caused by weak demand, high energy prices and import pressure, while industry representatives are calling on the European Union to strengthen trade protection measures and expand the carbon dioxide Emissions Control Mechanism (CBAM) to extend it to steel products. According to the report "The European Steel Industry at a Crossroads" prepared by Dr. Alberto Claudio Tremolada, in 2025, steel consumption in the EU decreased by 0.2% year-on-year, marking the fourth consecutive annual decline. Consumption decreased by 8% in 2022, by 6% in 2023 and by 1.1% in 2024. Although the economy is projected to recover by about 3% in 2026, the report notes that this forecast depends on easing geopolitical tensions and improving the industrial environment. The SWIP index, which tracks production in the steel industry, also declined 0.5% in 2025 after declining 3.6% in 2024. Automobile production decreased by 3.8% in 2025, while growth in the construction sector remained limited to just 0.1% . . . Imports account for 27% of EU steel consumption. The report notes that weak domestic demand is accompanied by strong import pressure. Including semi-finished products, imports accounted for 27% of total steel consumption in the EU. It was reported that this situation led to a reduction in the share of manufacturers in the EU market and put pressure on the operating profitability of service centers and regional distributors. Following these events, the call to action issued by EUROMETAL in April 2026 at the Tube & Wire exhibition in Dusseldorf, aimed at protecting the European steel sector, was signed by about 500 people. The signatories include companies, more than 40 national steel industry associations and industry stakeholders from across Europe. According to the report, the coalition represents a manufacturing and distribution ecosystem supporting over 14 million jobs across Europe. The steel sector , , , , will travel to Brussels on September 7. EUROMETAL and its coalition partners are preparing to organize a "European Industrial Competitiveness Convoy" in Brussels on September 7, 2026, in order to convey the sector's demands to EU institutions. Industrial vehicles and industry delegations from various European countries are expected to arrive at the headquarters of the European Commission in Berlaymont under the slogan "Save production in Europe". The sector's requirements include increasing the competitiveness of European industry, protecting industrial employment and investment, and building sustainable supply chains.