Brussels, 20/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - The dialogue with stakeholders from the steel industry has now begun in order to support the competitiveness of a sector hard hit by the crisis.
On 19 September, as part of the dialogue decided in July, Commissioners Antonio Tajani (Industry) and Laszlo Andor (Employment and Social Affairs) and the chair of the industry committee at the European Parliament, Amalia Sartori, met the management of large European steel companies, including ArcelorMittal, ThyssenKrupp, Salzgitter, Tata Steel Europe, Duferco, Ruukki, Tenaris and RIVA, as well as the director general from the Eurofer association and European steel industry unions.
The stakeholders examined the challenges of a sector badly weakened by the crisis - its annual production fell from 9.38 to 5.9 million tonnes between 2006 and 2009, before going back up to 7.5 million tonnes in 2010, according to Eurofer figures - and exposed to strong global competition which benefits from lower labour and energy costs, and more flexible social and environmental rules. The large decrease in demand has ended up with overcapacity leading to a need for restructuring, the Commission admits.
The discussions mark the beginning of work for a European action plan for steel, which the Commission promises for June 2013 at the latest. It will be a plan which translates the resolve of EU authorities to support the competitiveness of the steel industry on world markets over the long term, by means of several European initiatives. Faced with the need to strengthen markets in the future, the Commission had already tabled a strategy for the construction sector at the end of July (see EUROPE 10667) and will present a plan for the automobile industry next October (see EUROPE 10629). These two sectors represent 40% of the final demand for steel.
As well as fair competition conditions, the European steel sector also has to confront the challenge of access to raw materials and energy. The Commission promises to continue its efforts both on the internal level - with its strategy for materials (see EUROPE 10567), and on the external level - via partnerships with third countries to improve the access of European industry to resources. For access to energy, the Commission is pressing for the modernisation and strengthening of energy infrastructure. The steel sector will also have to promote energy efficiency to stimulate innovation.
The representatives from the steel sector repeated their concerns about the impact on their activity of very binding rules on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, while recognising, however, the need for a balance between industrial needs and environmental sustainability. (EH/transl.fl)