The European non-ferrous metals industry has issued an urgent call for a comprehensive Metals Action Plan to secure the sector’s future and enable Europe’s green and digital transitions.
In a position paper released this week, industry association Eurometaux outlined key priorities for policymakers to address, warning that Europe’s capacity to produce critical metals is diminishing at an alarming rate. Since 2020, twenty aluminium, silicon and zinc facilities have closed across the continent.
“Without non-ferrous metals made in Europe, we will not have the strategic autonomy needed for renewable energy, digitalisation and defence,” said a Eurometaux spokesperson. “Urgent action is required to rebuild our industry’s competitiveness.”
The association is calling for:
- Unburdened market access for European metals
- An energy policy providing affordable, clean power
- Measures to boost global competitiveness and support transformation
- Secure access to raw materials from primary and secondary sources
- A trade policy safeguarding against unfair practices
- Social policies to maintain high-quality industrial jobs
Eurometaux states that 10 new mines, 15 new processing facilities and 15 new recycling plants for non-ferrous metals are needed by 2030 to meet Critical Raw Materials Act objectives. The group also emphasises the need for 112 TWh of additional affordable, decarbonised electricity by 2030.
With the European Commission expected to launch a Metals Action Plan in the coming months, industry leaders stress that the time for decisive policy action is now. They warn that without intervention, Europe risks losing its metals industrial base and becoming dangerously reliant on imports for materials critical to economic and national security.
