The European steel value chain is facing an alarming downturn. With accelerating deindustrialization across steel production, processing, and distribution, the sector’s competitiveness and long-term sustainability are now under threat. In response, the European Federation of Steel, Tubes and Metals Distribution & Trade (EUROMETAL) and the European Steel Association (EUROFER), two leading industry associations, have made a joint appeal for the immediate introduction of targeted trade measures, aimed at restoring balance rather than halting imports altogether.
The associations stated that the steel industry plays a strategic role in Europe’s economic and environmental landscape, especially as it moves toward a green and digital economy. However, non-EU steel-based products are flooding the market, often without the same safeguards applied to raw steel imports.
They noted that key challenges of unrestricted imports are up to 50 percent of steel-based products used in energy applications now being sourced externally; declining domestic production and job losses across the steel supply chain; shrinking investment in R&D, undermining Europe's ability to lead in clean industrial technologies.
Noting that the Steel and Metals Action Plan, developed to protect EU industrial capability and employment emphasizes the need for balanced trade conditions, the associations stated that, however, current regulations do not sufficiently cover downstream products - those made with or from imported steel. Carbon leakage in downstream products - where emissions are effectively outsourced - poses a major risk, just like raw material imports. This lack of protection may encourage further offshoring of industrial activity, undermining Europe’s climate objectives and strategic autonomy in green technology, the associations noted.