Effective trade protection is essential for the move to green steel production

Today the European Union's Ministers of Economics and Trade are meeting in Berlin to discuss key trade policy issues. The steel industry in Europe is also on the agenda of the informal meeting under the German EU Council Presidency. Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff, President of the Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl: "The steel industry accounts for 30 percent of German and also European industrial emissions. By converting its production processes, it can make a decisive contribution to climate neutrality. However, for the transformation to green steel production to be a success, the right course must also be set in trade policy. Effective protection against unfair steel imports is of great importance here".

As already stated in the Steel Action Plan adopted by the German government in mid-July, strong green steel production in Europe requires not only effective protection against carbon leakage and support for the transformation toward low-carbon processes, but also equal opportunities on the global steel market. "It is only right and proper that the Federal Economics Minister addresses the issues set out in the Steel Action Plan in the circle of EU trade ministers. It must be made clear to all participants that the transformation will only succeed if fair competitive conditions are created on the international markets. Concrete proposals on how this can be achieved must now be developed at the European level. We expect the Council of Trade Ministers to provide important impulses in this respect", Kerkhoff continued.

Source: WV Stahl         Photo: Fotolia