.png?width=1200&height=630&rmode=max&scale=both&w=860&resize=860,0&ssl=1)
As the EU prepares legislation to save steel through stronger trade defence, trade unions urge immediate action to protect jobs and Europe’s industrial backbone. Binding social conditionalities must ensure that workers are defended, not sacrificed for shareholder gains.
We cannot afford to lose more jobs and industrial capacity while waiting for plans to become reality. Now is the time for urgent, concrete and ambitious action.
Europe’s steel industry is grappling with an unprecedented crisis. In 2024 alone, imports of cheap steel surged to 28 million tonnes—nearly double the volume from a decade ago. This flood of imports, combined with global overcapacity projected to reach 721 million tonnes by 2027 (five times the EU’s annual output), is placing immense strain on European producers.
The challenges don’t end there. Unfair trade practices, sluggish domestic demand, soaring energy costs, and new U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium are compounding the pressure. The result? A growing threat to jobs, industrial capacity, and the future of Europe’s strategic steel sector.
The EU’s current trade safeguard measures are no longer fit for purpose. The industry urgently needs a robust and immediate trade defence mechanism. While the European Commission adopted an Action Plan on Steel and Basic Metals in March 2025, the worsening crisis shows that promises and plans are not enough. Every delay risks further plant closures, job losses, and irreversible damage to Europe’s industrial backbone.
A legislative proposal for a “new highly efficient trade measure” is expected by the end of September. This could mark a turning point—if it delivers a strong instrument capable of protecting European steel, securing employment, and defending industrial resilience.
Momentum for change is building. On 18 July, the Commission launched a consultation on the future of Europe’s trade defence framework. IndustriAll Europe responded with urgency, calling for swift and decisive measures to safeguard workers and production. Political pressure is also mounting: on 29 July, 11 member states, led by France, issued a joint “Non-paper” demanding a new trade protection framework. This rare show of unity underscores the growing consensus that Europe must act decisively against unfair trade.
For IndustriAll Europe, effective trade defence is essential—but not sufficient. Binding social conditionalities must accompany all forms of public support to ensure workers are protected, not sacrificed, while companies continue to reward shareholders.
“The future of Europe’s steel and basic metals industry will depend on the strength of its trade defence,” warns Judith Kirton-Darling, General Secretary of industriAll Europe. “We cannot afford to lose more jobs and industrial capacity while waiting for plans to become reality. Now is the time for urgent, concrete and ambitious action.”