voestalpine AG

Feedback to the IDAA call for evidence The European Steel industry, of which voestalpine is an integral member, fully supports the objectives of the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act, to create the market demand in both private and public procurement for low CO2 steel products made in Europe.

We welcome the support of renewable energies throughout the EU, and beyond. However, any such support needs to be well integrated into the legal framework of the EU based on transparent, holistic and reliable planning taking international competitiveness fully into account and aiming at utmost planning certainty.

The ETS review needs to balance environmental ambition with the necessary enabling conditions for decarbonisation investments (internationally competitive energy and raw materials, effective trade and carbon leakage measures, funding support, lead markets).

Corporate fleets are an integral part of industrial processes, product portfolio of the automotive industry and, thus, the according value chains. Therefore, corporate fleets may and should contribute to climate neutrality and sustainability. Nevertheless, it is also essential that the profitability and international competitiveness of these value chains and all their elements is taken into account and improved.

We basically welcome the concept to seek for equal treatment of products and services over their value chains, regardless where individual steps of production or service take place. However, it is necessary that real, actual equal treatment is guaranteed.

As a basic principle, we support the notion of energy, and on a more overall basis, ressource, efficiency. Nevertheless, any such notion needs to be well integrated into the legal framework of the EU based on transparent, holistic and reliable planning taking international competitiveness fully into account and aiming at utmost planning certainty.

voestalpine supports the Paris Agreement and its implementation, and that on all levels of potential action. However, it needs to be secured and prioritized that any business activity as well as investment remains economically viable. Thus, any according business case needs to enable positive returns on investment.

Neither the EU nor individual countries can meet their climate targets without decarbonizing the steel industry, and it is clear that climate ambition must be delivered through innovation and investments in Europe not deindustrialization. It is therefore key to create the conditions and predictability for companies to continue reducing emissions through investments in innovative technologies and solutions.

We duly welcome the proposal to harmonize energy taxation throughout the EU in order to progress on the implementation of the EU internal market also for energy. Nevertheless, any such progress needs to be well integrated into the legal framework of the EU based on transparent, holistic and reliable planning taking international competitiveness fully into account and aiming at utmost planning certainty.

We basically welcome the proposal by the EC but need to stress that loopholes of the CBAM need to be taken into account and closed. Such loopholes are the recognition of carbon taxes and levies in third countries, which may only be taken into account as far as those are equivalent with the EU ETS, and the utilization of revenues.

In order to reach climate neutrality, especially what regards energy-intensive processes exposed to international competition, renewable energies, according technologies and input materials need to be available securily in amounts and quality as well as at internationally competitive conditions, especially prices. Otherwise, business cases cannot be established and according investments cannot be made.

We welcome any initiative that supports sustainability while strengthening the international competitiveness of processes and products in and from the EU. Therefore, we would like to ask to take into account: Premise: Security of supply International competitiveness Somit: Technological neutrality across the EU, as far as possible worldwide, consistent implementation Efficient and effective demonstration of whole…

Filed in German · English published by the European Commission

In order to reach climate neutrality, especially what regards energy-intensive processes exposed to international competition, renewable energies, according technologies and input materials need to be available securily in amounts and quality as well as at internationally competitive conditions, especially prices. Otherwise, business cases cannot be established and according investments cannot be made.

voestalpine supports the objectives of improving transparency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening circularity, and developing lead markets for low-carbon steel. At the same time, the Impact Assessment (IA) must carefully weigh environmental benefits alongside administrative costs, implementation complexity, market distortions, raw material security, and industrial competitiveness.