The event, which was attended by both politicians and industry representatives, highlighted the sector's contribution to the local economy, the green transformation process and the challenges that this transformation brings with it.
In his speech, Robert Habeck, Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, emphasized that Germany is leading the decarbonization of steel production. Habeck stated that by 2030, one-third of German crude steel capacity will be converted to decarbonized steel production, and that this process is a critical step in maintaining Germany's industrial competitiveness.
Steel, which is the basic building block of strategic sectors such as automotive and mechanical engineering, is also notable for its high energy demand. The German government plans to invest billions of euros in large-scale renewable energy projects to meet this high energy demand and to make the industry more environmentally friendly. However, current economic conditions and energy costs are putting pressure on the sector.
The IG Metall union has called on the government to create a more robust and reliable investment climate for the steel industry. In particular, the union argued that policies to lower energy prices and compete with low-cost imports from Asia should be put in place quickly. Gunnar Groebler, President of the German Steel Federation, one of the industry's main representatives, also called for energy prices to be kept under control and unfair competition to be prevented.
The green transformation process is vital for modernizing Germany's industrial capacity. For this transformation to be successful, the steel industry needs to be supported, and protecting industrial value chains in Germany and Europe is critical for economic growth and jobs, industry representatives said.
As the role of renewable energy and hydrogen technologies is increasingly emphasized in this process, Germany's efforts to make its domestic steel industry sustainable are becoming a central element of Europe's industrial policy.
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