The federal government responded to a protest march by steelworkers, held this Friday in front of the Ministry of Economy, with understanding.
A ministry spokesman told the dts Nachrichtenagentur that the steel industry is a fundamental basic material sector that plays a significant role in complete value chains across Europe. Acknowledging that Germany is the EU’s largest steel producer, the spokesman noted that the industry is currently facing “challenging” economic circumstances, a fact which the government explicitly recognizes.
He continued that in recent years, German and European steel companies have lost competitiveness and market share. Therefore, the coalition agreement clearly sets the goal of maintaining and further developing the steel industry in Germany, for which “comprehensive measures” are being implemented in key areas such as energy prices, reference markets, and support for decarbonization.
The march itself, drawn by a call from IG Metall and attended by around a thousand people in the morning, adopted the slogan, “Steel has a future-with us.” They also carried a symbolic coffin labeled “Economy” and “Prosperity.”
The industry’s concerns include cheap imports, particularly those arriving from China, as well as high tariffs imposed by the United States. IG Metall insists that the government’s current measures are insufficient and urges the government not to “stop halfway” in addressing the issues.
