The production of steel is a highly energy-intensive process, whether it is through the 'primary' production route using a blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace, or via the 'secondary' route in electric arc furnaces.
The primary route, which generally produces new steel from virgin raw materials, presently relies primarily on coking coal, which is both the reductant and a major source of energy to melt the iron ore.
The secondary route, which is generally used to produce steel from scrap, uses electricity to melt the metal.
As such, both routes require significant amounts of energy of one form or another. However, European producers have been refining their processes and, since the 1960s, have cut energy demand by 50%, alongside a similar reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The European steel industry's transition to a low or carbon-neutral future will have a large impact on energy supply, because new technologies will require even larger quantities to power new, carbon-lean processes.
This energy transition being as expected, EU energy policy is even more important than before - to ensure that the European steel industry has access to sustainable, affordable energy.
Brussels, 8 May 2025 – Seventy-five years ago, on 9 May 1950, the Schuman Declaration laid the foundation for European unity, placing coal and steel at the heart of a unique peace project that has brought unparalleled prosperity across the continent and beyond. As the EU commemorates this milestone, the fate of Europe’s steel industry will once again determine Europe’s future.
Brussels, 19 March 2025 – The Steel and Metals Action Plan, unveiled today by the European Commission, provides the right diagnosis to the existential challenges facing the European steel industry. Concrete measures need to follow swiftly to reverse the decline of the sector, re-establish a level playing field with global competitors, and incentivise investment and uptake of green steel in the market.
Brussels, 27 February 2025 – The European Steel Association (EUROFER) welcomes the joint initiative of French Minister for Industry and Energy Marc Ferracci and Italian Minister for Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso to convene a Ministerial Conference on the Future of the European Steel Industry in Paris today. This meeting complements initiatives at EU level by facilitating a pan-European assessment of the plight of the European steel sector and providing an additional opportunity to outline necessary solutions that will feed into the Steel Action Plan.