The initiative for addressing these pressing issues is led by French Industry Minister Marc Ferracci and Italian Minister for Enterprises Adolfo Urso, with participation from the Polish presidency of the European Union.

Countries invited to the upcoming meeting include Poland, Italy, Spain, and several others, although the final list of participants is still being finalized.

A special meeting of steel ministers from around fifteen European countries is scheduled for February 27, 2025, in Paris to discuss measures for maintaining steel production in Europe.

During this meeting, participants aim to share insights and solutions with industry stakeholders, including businesses and unions, and plan to issue a joint declaration with concrete proposals.

Employing over 300,000 people, the European steel industry is grappling with challenges such as excessive Chinese steel production at low prices and high energy costs in Europe.

Concerns over job losses have been heightened, with major layoffs announced by German steel giant Thyssenkrupp and ArcelorMittal suspending a €1.8 billion decarbonization project in Dunkirk, France.

Industry representatives, including Eurofer, are urging for an urgent action plan to support the European steel sector to prevent further site closures.

The European steel sector is facing significant anxiety due to a 25% increase in tariffs on steel and aluminum imports imposed by the United States during the Trump administration.

The European executive has criticized the U.S. tariffs as 'unjustified' and 'illegal', arguing that they are economically counterproductive.