European trade union federation IndustriAll Europe and the European Steel Association (EUROFER) have said that they welcome the decision to work on joint international efforts to address climate change and global sustainability objectives in the framework of the G7.
"The steel industry and its employees support a globally sustainable economy which reconciles environmental objectives with competitiveness and the creation of quality employment. A stable social dialogue, a more efficient use of energy, raw materials and resources, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as well as fair trade conditions are also central objectives of our industry," the joint statement said.
IndustriAll Europe and EUROFER stated that a robust and comprehensive international agreement on global climate protection must be achieved and emissions trading must be designed in such a way that in the long term a competitive steel production in Europe remains possible.
They also call for a trade policy effectively establishing fair trade conditions for the EU steel industry by creating improved disciplines and strong enforcement to level the international playing field.