European Steel and Metals Action Plan: Traceability Remains a Key Enabler in a Green and Competitive Transition

On March 19, 2025, the European Commission unveiled a comprehensive action plan to strengthen Europe’s steel and metals industry. The initiative aims to boost competitiveness, reduce external dependencies, and support the sector’s transition to a climate-neutral economy.

Key pillars of the action plan include:

• Access to clean and affordable energy:
  The Commission will support investments in renewables and grid infrastructure to accelerate electrification across energy-intensive industries.
• Prevention of carbon leakage:
  Measures such as strengthening the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and considering its extension to downstream products are proposed to level the playing field with international competitors.
• Reinforcing EU industrial capacities:
  The plan addresses global overcapacity and trade distortions through enhanced safeguard measures and a potential expansion of trade defence instruments.
• Advancing circularity:
  New targets for recycled content and improved conditions for secondary raw materials aim to promote resource efficiency and reduce environmental impacts.
• Safeguarding quality industrial jobs:
  Skills development and social dialogue are emphasized to ensure the transition supports resilient, high-quality employment.

Throughout the action plan, transparency and data integrity emerge as fundamental principles. As Europe raises the bar on sustainability, regulatory compliance, and supply chain resilience, reliable product-level information becomes increasingly crucial.

In this landscape, traceability continues to play a vital enabling role.
It underpins informed decision-making, builds trust across the value chain, and ensures that sustainability claims are both verifiable and actionable—helping the industry move forward with confidence and clarity.

For more details, see the full announcement: European Commission – Press release

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