A round table discussion was held on the economic sustainability of the European steel industry during the recent 1st Assofermet Day & SteelOrbis Conference held in Brescia in northern Italy. Participants in the discussion, which was chaired by economist and university professor Giulip Sapelli, included Antonio Gozzi, president of Federacciai, Tommaso Sandrini, vice president of Assofermet, Georges Kirps, and Ugo Miretti of the European Commission.
According to Antonio Gozzi, European manufacturing, and with it the regional steel industry, is in danger of disappearing because of the European Union and its mediocre political class. The difficulties in the steel sector, linked to overproduction, fragmentation, costs and fierce competition in the supply of raw materials (i.e., scrap ), concern not only Italy but all of Europe. Nevertheless, according to Gozzi, in recent years Europe has not been able to provide adequate measures of social support. "In the European steel industry, more than 40,000 jobs have been lost in the last 24 months and approximately the same number of jobs will be lost in the next 24-36 months," he stated. The Federacciai president went on to say that, if things do not change, the euro-skeptics will win and then will make them change. He said that, given the current situation, steel production will disappear from Europe and steel will instead be produced for the region by the US, which, thanks to shale gas, will be able to achieve electricity costs which will be 25-33 percent lower compared to costs in Europe. He also stressed that the US can count on a flexible workforce and does not have to deal with environmental pressures, unlike European producers. Ugo Miretti, in defense of the European Union, said that, following the creation of a European market, further steps are now being taken and that Europe is meeting the growing needs of the continental industry. Nevertheless, participants in the debate were unanimous in saying that time is in short supply and that action must be taken as soon as possible or large sectors of European industry will die. According to Tommaso Sandrini, Europe does not need any more incentives or monetary contributions, but "a few clear rules". Secondly, he said, it is necessary that "we take protective measures also in regard to our consumption", accompanying such measures with new strategic directions.