THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS (CoR)

 welcomes the European Steel and Metals Action Plan as a specific roadmap to boost the competitiveness of the European steel and metals industry; highlights the undeniable importance of the industry as a strategic and fundamental pillar of the European Union’s economic and social stability;
 is concerned about the current situation of the sectors in Europe, which are facing high energy costs, regulatory and administrative burdens, uneven playing fields in international competition and the urgent need for investment in decarbonisation in an uncertain regulatory environment;
 highlights the need for a robust territorial dimension and support for regional industrial ecosystems in order to ensure that the action plan is implemented effectively; highlights the role that local and regional authorities play in developing and maintaining ecosystems in which energy-intensive operate;
 points out that setting up, promoting and supporting affordable and secure access to energy is crucial for maintaining the competitiveness of the sector;
 calls for efforts to speed up the delivery of aid to facilitate investments towards decarbonising the steel and metals industry and making the rules governing the granting of aid more flexible, while at the same time creating and strengthening trade protection instruments and developing strategic alliances that ensure the supply of critical metals;
 welcomes the revision of the CBAM, and calls for efforts to continue strengthening it, while reducing administrative burdens to the extent possible, ensuring alignment with the EU’s competitiveness objectives; and
 emphasises the relevance of supporting the creation of lead markets for low-carbon products through local content requirements.