Hereu promotes a competitive and sustainable European steel industry at the Paris summit

 

In a crucial meeting for the future of the European steel industry, the Spanish minister Jordi Hereu He participated in the Ministerial Conference on Steel in Paris, organized by the French Minister of Industry and Energy, Marc Ferraci, and its Italian counterpart, Adolfo UrsoThe meeting brought together representatives of Poland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Belgium, the European Commission and the Polish presidency of the EU Council.

 

Hereu stressed the urgency of ensuring competitive energy prices and a stable supply for the European steel industry. In this regard, he proposed deepening the integration of the European Single Energy Market"The competitiveness of our industry depends largely on access to affordable and consistent energy," the minister stated.

 

One of the key points of his speech was the need to support the steel industry's transition to more sustainable models. He acknowledged that the sector faces significant investments to reduce its carbon footprint and, therefore, advocated for EU-backed financial support instruments beyond 2026. "We need a financing framework that guarantees a fair and viable transformation for our industry," Hereu stated. He also highlighted the fundamental role of European Investment Bank in financing decarbonisation projects.

 

 

Hereu recalled the strategic importance of the steel sector for the European economy, its contribution to GDP and employment, and its role in strategic autonomy.

 

 

The Spanish minister emphasized the importance of promoting public procurement of green steel across the EU, establishing obligations for infrastructure and public works projects to use zero-emission or low-carbon steel. "Public procurement can be a key driver for boosting demand for sustainable steel," he asserted.

 

Hereu also stressed the need to strengthen existing safeguard measures and explore new protection instruments for European steel from 2026. He advocated the effective implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to ensure that exporting countries meet equivalent decarbonisation standards and avoid practices that circumvent this mechanism.

 

The minister highlighted the initiatives of his department, such as the PERTE of Industrial Decarbonizationaimed at supporting the industry's transition to more environmentally friendly models and processes, thus contributing to climate neutrality. "We are committed to an industry that is both competitive and sustainable," he stated.

 

Hereu recalled the strategic importance of the steel sector for the European economy, its contribution to GDP and employment, and its role in strategic autonomy, as it is an essential raw material for numerous key industries.

 

The Spanish steel sector, which accounts for 4,6% of industrial GDP and employs around 60.000 people, was cited as an example of the importance of this industry. With 22 steel manufacturing plants and 50 rolling and primary processing facilities spread across 11 autonomous communities, the sector generates 14.000 billion euros annually.