The German Steel Federation (WV Stahl) has called on the German government to secure reliable funding for industrial competitiveness and the green transformation as it prepares to submit its draft federal budget for 2027 to the Bundestag.
Energy costs and green steel markets require budget support
WV Stahl CEO Kerstin Maria Rippel stated that maintaining a strong basic materials industry amid growing global disruption while advancing climate neutrality would require both targeted political support and dependable financing, adding that Germany's climate objectives should be reflected in the federal budget, particularly through the Climate and Transformation Fund.
According to Rippel, the steel industry's main priorities are lowering energy prices, establishing lead markets for low-emission steel produced in the EU, and strengthening Germany's transport and logistics infrastructure.
WV Stahl calls for permanent transmission grid subsidies
The federation warned that reversing recently introduced energy price relief measures would send the wrong signal to both industrial companies and consumers. The price relief aims to reduce electricity grid fees, extending measures aimed at lowering energy costs for companies and households, as previously reported by SteelOrbis. Accordingly, WV Stahl urged the government to maintain the transmission network cost subsidy in full and ultimately make the measure permanent.
