Steel alliance in Berlin

At the initiative of Saarland's Prime Minister Tobias Hans, talks on a joint federal/state approach to the European Union on steel issues will be held in Berlin on 27 March 2020.

Federal Ministers Peter Altmaier, Svenja Schulze and Olaf Scholz will be sitting at the same table as Tobias Hans. "Our steel industry is under great pressure due to international trade conflicts, cheap steel from China and European environmental and climate regulations. We must succeed in developing our steel production into climate-friendly or climate-neutral manufacturing processes. However, our companies cannot take this step on their own, which is why the EU and the federal government have a duty to do so. It is important that our steel countries stick together and together create the necessary innovative lead of the German steel industry towards a largely CO2-neutral production. The federal and state governments must also work together and need a coordinated approach to the European Commission. That is why I am very grateful that we have agreed to the joint talks on 27 March", said Tobias Hans.

In addition, he will also speak out for the interests of the Saarland steel industry to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and put the joint approach of the federal and state governments into concrete terms. "It does not benefit our climate at all if the global demand for steel is satisfied by environmental dumping and our clean steel industry is destroyed in the process. If a hundred billion euros are to be mobilised for the Green Deal, then a few billion must also be made available for green steel. This is where we are heading: no Green Deal without green steel! We will continue to fight with all our strength and together with all the players involved to ensure that our steel industry in Saarland has a future".

Source and graphic: Staatskanzlei des Saarlandes