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, 13 February 2025 – Following the high-level conference “A Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism for Climate - Addressing carbon leakage to strengthen global climate action”, organised in Paris by the European Commission and the French Ministries of Finance, Economics and Climate Transition, EUROFER emphasises that simplification must go hand in hand with ensuring the instrument’s effectiveness. This means addressing key issues such as resource shuffling, exports, and the inclusions of products further down the value chain.
Brussels, 11 February 2025
Brussels, 06 February 2025 – The economic and geopolitical conditions that have affected the European steel market over the past two years show no signs of improvement and have further deepened their negative impact on the sector in 2024. Growing uncertainty continues to weigh also on 2025 and 2026, with the outlook hinging on unpredictable developments especially as regards international trade. According to EUROFER’s latest Economic and Steel Market Outlook, the recession in apparent steel consumption in 2024 will be steeper than previously projected (-2.3%, down from -1.8%) and the expected recovery in 2025 has now been downgraded (+2.2%, down from +3.8%). Similarly, steel-using sectors’ recession has been revised downwards for 2024 (-3.3% from -2.7%), while growth projections for 2025 have also been lowered (+0,9% from +1.6%). Some acceleration is not expected until 2026 (+2.1%). Steel imports remain at historically high levels (28%) also in the third quarter of 2024.
The European Steel Association (EUROFER)
172 Avenue de Cortenbergh
1000 Brussels
Belgium
Email: mail@eurofer.eu
Phone: +32 (0) 2 738 79 20
