Press Release: European Commission puts focus on competitiveness of metals industries

Metal industries in Europe are competitive and rely on innovation and high productivity to maintain their position, but are confronted with a situation in which they are losing their share due to higher constraints, compared to other parts of the world. Keeping a competitive metals industry in Europe is the key objective of a European Commission communication adopted on 25 February, 2008. It highlighted important issues influencing the competitiveness of this sector, such as climate change and other environmental challenges, energy, access to raw materials, research and innovation and trade. Since metals industries are energy intensive industries, special attention is given to the actions provided for in the recent climate change package adopted on 23 January 2008, aiming at avoiding future production taking place in countries with less strict emission limits, as this would have negative environmental and economic consequences. This communication forms a part of the Commission's integrated industrial policy, which consists of horizontal and sectoral measures.