MPE welcomes today’s vote by the European Parliament in support of the Regulation addressing the negative effects of global overcapacity on the Union steel market, and underlines the need to extend its scope to downstream steel products as soon as possible.

The new framework represents an important step towards ensuring a stronger and more resilient European steel market in the face of persistent global overcapacity and trade diversion. MPE supports the objective of maintaining fair competition and safeguarding the long-term sustainability of Europe’s industrial value chains.

At the same time, MPE stresses the importance of preserving the competitiveness and security of supply for downstream steel-using industries, including manufacturers of rigid steel packaging and components. MPE welcomes the commitment to assess the impact of the new measure on downstream users and review a possible scope extension in the near future.

MPE members remain actively engaged in collecting market data and evidence to support the European Commission’s future evaluation of the regulation and potential extension to steel packaging and components.

“MPE supports balanced and effective trade measures that strengthen Europe’s industrial resilience while ensuring that downstream sectors like steel packaging remain competitive and adequately supplied,” said Krassimira Kazashka, CEO of Metal Packaging Europe.

MPE looks forward to continuing constructive dialogue with the European Commission, the European Parliament and Member States throughout the implementation and review of the Regulation.

MPE is the united voice of Europe’s rigid metal packaging industry (steel and aluminium), bringing together manufacturers, suppliers, and national associations (metalpackagingeurope.org). We position and support the positive attributes and image of metal packaging through joint advocacy, marketing, sustainability and technical initiatives.

The European metal packaging industry produces over 200 billion units annually across 650 manufacturing sites, directly employs more than 60,000 people and plays a vital role in the Circular Economy, supporting numerous
value chains and applications, including beverages, food, chemicals, aerosols and others.