With President Trump apparently determined to slap a tariff of 25% on all – or nearly all – steel imports into the US, Europe and its industry must react publicly. Tariffs will be immeasurably damaging, not only to the EU steel industry, but also to sectors connected to it. There is the potential for irreversible damage to the world trading system.
On Monday 12 March the European Steel Association (EUROFER) hosted an extraordinary joint press conference and had invited member state ministers and EU policy makers to react together to show solidarity in the face of these unilateral US trade measures.
Speakers included:
- Geert Van Poelevoorde, President, EUROFER
- Bruno Le Maire, Finance and Economy Minister, France,
- Begoña Cristeto, Secretary General for Industry and Small and Medium Enterprise Spain
- Luis Colunga, Deputy Secretary General, IndustriAll European Trade Union
- Gerd Götz, Director General European Aluminium
- Bernard Hallemans, COO, Stainless & Electrical Steel Europe, APERAM
- Theo Henrar, Chairman of the Management Board, Tata Steel Netherlands