Steel Crisis: Brandenburg Pushes for Protection Against Cheap Imports - Brandenburg pushes subsidies to revive Riva steelworks amid Europe’s crisis
Brandenburg's Economy Minister Daniel Keller (SPD) has proposed a subsidy to restart production at the Riva steelworks in Hennigsdorf, where workers have been on 'zero-hour furlough' for ten months. Keller demanded fair competitive conditions for European steel producers, particularly for producing 'green steel', and called for a rapid, long-term lower electricity price for industry to provide planning certainty.
Keller's proposal comes ahead of a steel crisis summit at the Chancellery, where state premiers from regions with significant steel industry presence, industry representatives, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) will discuss the steel industry's challenges. Keller suggested establishing protective measures, such as tariffs, to ensure the European steel industry can continue operating. He stressed the need to protect the European steel industry from cheap steel imports not produced under the same standards as green steel. Cities and federal states with significant steel industry locations, including Lower Saxony with notable companies like Rheinmetall and Airbus, have been invited to the crisis talks.
The steel crisis summit aims to address the challenges faced by the European steel industry, with proposals such as electricity subsidies and protective measures on the table. The meeting will bring together key stakeholders to discuss the future of the industry and ensure its competitiveness in the face of global challenges.
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