2
Apr
2025
Watch
European Steel and Metals Action Plan (debate)
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the main challenges facing the European steel and aluminium sector today are twofold: high energy costs and unfair competition from third countries. Challenges that often lead to the permanent closure of factories and the loss of thousands of jobs. We need targeted assistance through a comprehensive European action plan. The European mining industry urgently needs access to cheap and competitive energy and a stricter application of the tools to protect it from international unfair competition, such as the European Union's trade defence instruments. Only in this way will the European mining industry again play a key role in the resilience, economic security, competitiveness and ultimately the strategic autonomy of the European Union.