Europe is on the cusp of a transformative era. The Green Deal needs to deliver on ambitious climate goals while ensuring continued prosperity. European economic integration was built with steel, the backbone of Europe’s growth, contributing billions to the economy and providing jobs to millions of Europeans. As EUROFER, the European Steel Association, we believe the future of a green Europe can only be forged with European steel.
The future of ‘Green Steel’ begins here in Europe and will become a global reality if we support our own industrial ecosystems throughout this transition. Europe-made steel has a strategic role and enables a net-zero economy, but today it faces strong headwinds from the energy crisis, unfair international competition, and growing unilateral carbon costs. Ensuring the enabling conditions for the transition of energy-intensive industries -- such as steel -- that are essential for clean tech value chains must be at the top of today’s and the post-2024 EU agenda. We call on policy makers to prioritize the following five pillars:
The European steel ecosystem provides 306,000 direct jobs across 22 EU Member States and supports over 2.2 million indirect and induced jobs in the EU, creating €143 billion of Gross Value Added per year across sectors. Steel is a pillar of European prosperity, and our industry a standard bearer of the EU’s high labour and ethical standards. Beyond numbers, steel is the foundation of most EU clean value chains, ensuring resilience in a context of geopolitical uncertainty. From trains, cars, bikes, windmills, solar panels, to critical infrastructure and everyday items, steel is the core of the better world we aim to build.
Innately circular and 100% recyclable, steel is not just a material, it is a testament to Europe’s resilience, innovation, and commitment to sustainability. With over 3,500 grades of steel – 75% of which have been developed in the last two decades – European steel is stronger, lighter, and greener than ever before. The EU boasts an 88% steel recycling rate, while in 2021 more than half of our steel production was made from recycled steel, positioning European producers as global leaders in circular steel. Over 60 low-carbon steel projects are planned or underway across the EU, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions by 81.5 million tonnes annually by 2030. The first ones should start operations by 2026. With the right conditions in place, the future of the clean tech industry will be made in Europe, and through continuous investment in decisive technologies, we pave the way for a net zero future.
Brussels, 28 July 2025 — The European steel value chain is at a critical juncture. Deindustrialization is accelerating across both steel production, distribution and processing, threatening the resilience, competitiveness, and long-term sustainability of a sector essential to Europe's strategic autonomy and industrial base.
Brussels, 29 July 2025 – The proposal for a ‘highly effective’ new trade measure to counter global overcapacity and preserve the European steel industry’s capacities, published yesterday by France on behalf of a group of 11 Member States, is a timely initiative. The non-paper sets a clear course towards a comprehensive steel trade measure to replace the current safeguard regime at a critical moment, as the negative impacts of global overcapacity on the European steel industry continue to grow, says the European Steel Association (EUROFER).
Brussels, 28 July 2025 – The deal on tariffs struck by the EU with the U.S. limits the damage in the current circumstances, but the impact on European steel remains dramatic as long as 50% tariffs are still applied. A potential joint action EU-U.S. to address global overcapacity and a possible return to a tariff-rate quota system for EU exports to the U.S., as hinted at by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, are still vague and lack the necessary details to the bring the economic certainty needed by EU steel producers, says the European Steel Association.
The European Steel Association (EUROFER)
172 Avenue de Cortenbergh
1000 Brussels
Belgium
Email: mail@eurofer.eu
Phone: +32 (0) 2 738 79 20
