Antonio Gozzi, president of the Italian steel producers association Federacciai, has called for a profound revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) system, greater protection for scrap within the European market, and the adoption of a more coherent European industrial strategy for the steel sector. He made the remarks on April 9 at Italy’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) during a meeting with EU Commissioner for Industry, Entrepreneurship, SMEs and the Single Market Stéphane Séjourné.
In detail, Gozzi stated that the proposals put forward so far regarding the withdrawal of ETS allowances are not sufficient and that a more structural intervention on the mechanism is needed. Among the points raised by the Federacciai president were the revision of the benchmark among countries, a change in the algorithm used for the allocation of allowances, and the elimination of financial intermediation.
According to Gozzi, there is also a continuing risk of weakness in the current European regulatory framework, which does not appear capable of responding effectively to the crisis factors affecting the sector. In his view, the measures currently available for the steel industry remain fragmented and are not embedded in an organic industrial strategy at EU level.
The critical issues highlighted included energy. Gozzi underlined that the current regulatory framework limits the possibility of defining direct agreements for more efficient energy procurement, including in the case of nuclear energy, which continues to be treated as conventional energy.
Another issue raised with the European commissioner was ferrous scrap, which Gozzi described as a strategic raw material for the steel supply chain. On this point, the Federacciai president reiterated the need to safeguard its availability within the European market, while also stressing the importance of supporting green steel production, a segment in which Italy remains the leading producer in Europe.
Gozzi therefore called for decisive action at European level to overcome the current regulatory constraints and build a system that is fairer, more effective and more closely aligned with the needs of industry.
As previously reported by SteelOrbis, in recent weeks the Federacciai president had repeatedly drawn attention to the critical issues surrounding the ETS system, highlighting its impact on energy costs and the need for a structural revision at European level. Gozzi had also expressed concerns regarding other EU instruments linked to the industrial transition, considering the measures put in place so far to support the competitiveness of the European steel industry still insufficient and reiterating the need for stronger protection for ferrous scrap and for the sector’s strategic production segments.