At a time when the European steel sector is reaching a breaking point, industriAll Europe and the European Steel Association (EUROFER) organized an urgent Steel Social Summit. The summit reminded that the European Commission’s proposal addressing the effects of global steel overcapacity on the EU steel market is expected to be announced by mid-October, and stressed that strong and effective trade measures are needed during this period.
Social partners also emphasized that the EU Steel and Metals Action Plan must be implemented swiftly and urgently, particularly regarding energy prices and demand. Maintaining the political commitment outlined in the Action Plan is crucial for restoring the competitiveness of European steel, securing its green transition, and protecting employment for steelworkers across Europe.
The summit highlighted that the European steel sector is facing an increasingly deteriorating situation due to unfair trade practices and high energy costs. Social partners stressed that immediate EU-level action is necessary for European steel to remain competitive in a challenging global market, transition to green steel production, and safeguard thousands of high-quality jobs in Europe.
Global overcapacity has reached record levels. Combined with non-competitive energy and raw material prices, this situation has pushed the European steel sector into crisis. The crisis threatens approximately 300 thousand direct jobs and 2.3 million indirect jobs. Just last year, 18 thousand job cuts and 12 million tons of capacity closures were announced. Between 2008 and 2023, there were 100 thousand job losses and 26 million tons of capacity reductions.
Judith Kirton-Darling, General Secretary of industriAll Europe, stated: “Steel is the backbone of the European economy, but the sector is currently at a breaking point. That is why trade unionists from across Europe came together with steel producers at this summit to call for urgent action. Supporting steel is not just about protecting jobs in our factories; it means safeguarding entire industrial value chains and ensuring consistency in Europe’s industrial policy. The steel sector urgently needs Europe’s support, and steelworkers across the continent are ready to defend their industry.”
Dr. Henrik Adam, President of EUROFER, added: “The European Union must act decisively now, or large parts of the EU steel industry and its value chains could be completely dark. We now more than ever need strong EU steel trade measures, competitive energy prices, and EU content regulations that ensure the transition and sustainability of European steel. The participation of European Commission Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné at today’s Emergency Steel Social Summit provides reassurance that the future of the EU steel industry and its workers is a high priority for the Commission.”
The social partners in Europe, industriAll Europe and EUROFER, called on the European Commission, Parliament, and Member States to: fully and rapidly implement the Steel and Metals Action Plan presented by the European Commission on 19 March 2025; adopt ambitious trade defense measures to safeguard the European steel industry; ensure that the benefits of renewable and low-carbon electricity are passed on to consumers; make the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) effective to prevent circumvention of EU climate policy; preserve EU scrap exports for the EU’s circular economy, climate, and energy targets; create markets that set EU steel content requirements for green steel produced in Europe and implement public procurement policies tied to social conditions; and, finally, implement social policies that support strong industrial jobs in Europe.
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