ArcelorMittal Germany Holding (Bremen, Germany):

Schulz F., Chairman of the Board, e-mail: contact.germany@arcelormittal.com

The steel industry in Germany is highly efficient. This is possible due a strong focus on innovation and to plants and production technologies that are characterized by energy efficiency and CO₂ emission values at benchmark level. However, with technically unachievable benchmarks and correction factors which do not allow adequately for the conditions of steel production, this will provoke unilateral cost increases which will work to the disadvantage of the steel industry in the global competition. We need an industry-friendly policy for the future of steel in Europe – a renaissance of the industry as a whole. In order to create solid foundations for this, it requires employees, trade unions, employers, associations, the EU Commission and politics to align themselves with and to support a common win-win objective: this is the only way in the short term that a real and sustainable renaissance of industry in Europe can occur.