Steel and Metals Action Plan
Published in March 2025, the plan is the commission's official policy framework for short- and medium-term measures. It focuses on six pillars: affordable clean energy, preventing carbon leakage, protecting industrial capacity, promoting lock-in, protecting quality jobs, and reducing investment risks.
Its strength lies in clear, immediate actions such as green steel procurement criteria and support for contracts for difference (CFDs). These measures are in line with investors' expectations. However, the plan does not envisage a long-term emissions reduction trajectory, nor does it establish a transparent financing strategy that will guide institutional investors in the short term.
Transition path
The transition path, developed with the participation of the industry, offers a much broader analysis. It covers 15 topics and more than 60 actions, ranging from competitiveness and raw materials to infrastructure and workforce skills. The report was praised for highlighting the interdependence, especially with regard to energy costs and trade.
However,