Ref. Ares(2021)3950996 - 17/06/2021
From the Director General
Mr Thierry Breton
Commissioner for Internal Market
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1049 Brussels
Friday, 11 September 2020
Dear Commissioner, Dear Mr Breton,
On behalf of the CEOs who participated in the web-meeting yesterday, I would like to thank you
for the constructive discussion you had with them. I wish to reiterate that our industry could be
the first to enter into deep CO2 cuts with a ‘Green Deal on Steel’, if the surrounding conditions
and support schemes were to allow this. We could help the EU achieve its objectives with
progress already being made during the current Commission. For this purpose, we are proposing
an action plan with a number of key recommendations of which you had received a summary in
the presentation sent to you before the meeting.
Effective trade defense is key to restoring a level playing field against third country distortions
and governmental support schemes. As discussed, we attach a note and annexes which resume
the current and urgent issue we are facing with regard to the Anti-Subsidy investigation AS660
on imports of Stainless Steel Hot Rolled Sheets and Coils originating in Indonesia and China.
As highlighted by the CEOs, we believe the Commission has all the necessary evidence in order
to impose anti-subsidy measures and therefore must not terminate the investigation. We will be
grateful for
your support in immediately putting on hold the AS case for few days for a review
of the DG Trade and Legal Service approach. Such review should take into consideration all the
elements and the possible consequences for the Union stainless industry, the survival of which is
currently at stake.
This is a mutual challenge, affecting both the industrial strategy and the future application of the
Trade Defence Instruments. As such, we propose an urgent meeting between the relevant
cabinets, possibly with the participation of the Union stainless industry.
Whilst thanking you for your commitment in considering the file and supporting the industry, we
remain at your disposal for any request for clarification.
Yours sincerely,
The European Steel Association (EUROFER)
The European Steel Association (EUROFER) AISBL | Avenue de Cortenbergh, 172, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
P a g e |
1
+32 3 738 79 20 | xxxx@xxxxxxx.xx | www.eurofer.eu | EU Transparency Register: ID 93038071152-83