The European Steel Association (EUROFER) has urged the European Union to strengthen origin requirements under the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), warning that the current framework may fail to adequately support demand for low-carbon steel produced within the bloc.
In its latest position paper, EUROFER stated that the proposed rules relying on standard EU customs definitions could allow imported semi-finished steel products to qualify as “EU-origin” after limited downstream processing within Europe.
The association is calling for mandatory requirements tied to steel that is “originally melted and poured” within the EU for projects receiving public procurement support or public funding.
EUROFER warned that under the current proposal, products from nearly 80 countries could potentially qualify as “Made in EU” due to existing trade agreements and processing rules.
The association also argued that the proposed demand targets for low-carbon steel are insufficient. Since public procurement accounts for less than five percent of total steel demand, EUROFER proposed increasing the required share of low-carbon steel of Union origin from 25 percent to at least 50 percent.
Additionally, EUROFER called for the scope of the IAA to expand into sectors such as:
- Wind energy
- Solar energy
- Electric vehicles
- Electric motors
- Electrical steel for transformers
The group also advocated for stricter local-content rules and mandatory carbon labeling based on verified emissions data, while warning against growing dependence on non-EU suppliers in strategic industrial sectors.
VietnamSteel by Hoa Sen Group
