The European steel industry is calling for immediate action from the European Union to address an escalating crisis, described as the most severe since 2009. Major steel producers, including Aperam, Riva, Arvedi, ArcelorMittal, and the industry association Eurofer, have sent a letter to the European Parliament urging the EU to implement a comprehensive strategy. They highlight issues such as global overcapacity, high energy costs, and unfair trade practices, which are compounding weak domestic steel demand.
The letter proposes several measures, including enhancing trade defense instruments with more robust tariffs, improving the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to prevent circumvention, reducing energy costs, retaining steel scrap within the EU, and creating lead markets to drive demand for green steel. The steelmakers emphasize that a Steel Action Plan, as part of the Clean Industrial Deal, must include both emergency measures and structural solutions to mitigate the impact of global overcapacity and unfair trade on the EU steel market.