Brussels will see a rally of trucks of steel, workers, business associations and industrial stakeholders from across Europe in the European Convoy for Industrial Competitiveness on Monday, organised by distributors’ association EUROMETAL.
The initiative centres on its goal to keep manufacturing in Europe, EUROMETAL points out. The association has been preparing for the event for many weeks.
The core of the protest is against the omission of steel-intensive manufactured goods and steel derivatives from the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which is confined to immediate mill products.
The convoy of trucks will head to the European Quarter before representatives of European companies and associations. It will carry ten symbolic coffins around the Berlaymont, representing the manufacturing capacity, jobs and industrial know-how that Europe risks losing if current trends continue.
At noon, trucks will sound their horns simultaneously, delivering a symbolic wake-up call for Europe’s manufacturing future. This will be followed by the presentation of the convoy’s common message to a representative of the European Commission.
“We are not asking for subsidies or special treatment. We are asking for fair competition,” says EUROMETAL president Alexander Julius. “Our message is simple: if Europe wants to keep manufacturing, innovation and skilled jobs, it must ensure that the same principles apply across the entire manufacturing value chain. Keeping manufacturing in Europe is about preserving Europe’s prosperity, resilience and strategic autonomy.”
Author: Christian Koehl Germany
