With the EU elections having taken place in May 2019, Europe is setting new priories and direction for the future. As an industry at the heart of the EU economy, the European steel industry is saying to policy makers: we need to innovate, trade, sustain and upskill to ensure a prosperous future for Europe and its citizens.
In the light of slowing demand, both generally and specifically for steel, persistently high global overcapacity of 550 million tonnes – 25% of global production capacity – high and volatile raw material and carbon prices, and surging imports, the European steel industry is facing potential crisis.
This manifesto sets out the footprint and importance of European steel to the EU economy, and explains why we need to make the industry more innovative, skilled and sustainable while also ensuring there is a robust trade policy that defends the sector against the challenges posed by overcapacity and trade surges.
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Brussels, 4 June 2026: One year after the United States imposed 50% tariffs on steel imports, European steel exports to the U.S. are down by one-third according to latest figures by the European Steel Association (EUROFER).
Production falls to record low despite recovery in demand
Industry welcomes the European Commission’s work on the development of a regulatory framework for CO₂ transport infrastructure, which will be critical to achieving the EU’s climate objectives and enabling the scale-up of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) as part of an integrated value chain, including emitters, transport, storage operators, and CO2 offtakes for use in products.
The European Steel Association (EUROFER)
172 Avenue de Cortenbergh
1000 Brussels
Belgium
Email: mail@eurofer.eu
Phone: +32 (0) 2 738 79 20
