EUROMETAL warned that gaps in legislation put European steel producers at a disadvantage compared to suppliers from non-EU countries. While imported steel is subject to trade measures and carbon-related costs, finished products manufactured outside the EU are not always subject to the same obligations when imported into the European Union. The Association intends to bring this issue to the attention of the EU authorities in Brussels on Tuesday. On September 7, EUROMETAL presented the European Convoy for Industrial Competitiveness project, which calls for the creation of equal conditions for the entire production value chain.
According to EUROMETAL, the imbalance is related to a different approach to the import of steel and finished metal products manufactured outside the EU. Steel entering the European market is subject to carbon quotas, trade measures and costs under the Carbon Boundary Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), while finished products from third countries can be imported into the EU without meeting equivalent trade and carbon requirements.
As a result, a European manufacturer of steel-based products may face higher regulatory and decarbonization costs than a competitor from outside the EU exporting finished products to the European market. EUROMETAL argues that such an imbalance weakens the competitiveness of European industry and may encourage companies to shift production outside ЕС.
The association warned that if this trend continues, it could lead to the closure of factories and further postponement of production. this will affect employment, investment, industrial know-how, value creation and demand for European steel. The gradual weakening of Europe's manufacturing base could also undermine the strategic industrial potential needed for infrastructure, defense, and the economy as a whole, as well as for the transition to green technologies.
Thus, EUROMETAL calls for the creation of a level playing field for the entire production value chain, arguing that European industrial policy should not allow regulatory requirements for steel production and domestic production to become a competitive advantage for finished products imported from third countries.
The Association will transmit this message to Brussels on September 7, when companies, employees, industry associations and other industry representatives from across Europe will participate in the European Convoy for Industrial Competitiveness.
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