(Homburg/02.12.2022) - Today, Saarland MEP Manuela Ripa (ÖDP) visited the ThyssenKrupp Gerlach plant in Homburg. The Homburg plant is currently concerned about the EU negotiations on the CO2 border adjustment mechanism. The steel processing industry is currently excluded from the scope of the proposal. This would put companies like Gerlach at a competitive disadvantage internationally in the future if the EU law on CO2 border adjustment is passed.

For this reason, the politician is currently working with the EU Commission and the Council in the current 2nd reading of this law to ensure that the scope of the CO2 border adjustment mechanism is also extended to the steel processing industries. Ripa commented: "From an environmental point of view, it makes no sense at all to introduce a CO2 levy on crude steel while leaving out the energy-intensive steel processing industry. In order to effectively prevent the relocation of CO2 emissions from the EU to third countries, the CO2 border adjustment mechanism must be applied as widely as possible."

The MEP is helping to negotiate the mechanism as the responsible shadow rapporteur for her Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament. The final trilogue is scheduled before Christmas, so time is pressing. The Commission and the Parliament are calling for the scope to be extended beyond the product groups of aluminium, fertilizers, iron, steel, electricity and cement and also want products made from these materials to be included in the scope. However, several EU member states are opposed to this. This issue does not appear to be a high priority for the German government either. It will therefore be important in the coming days to overcome the resistance of the member states by reaching a compromise.

" I am currently in intensive discussions with the negotiating partners to find ways in which we can extend the scope of the CO2 border adjustment mechanism. In the final negotiations, I will work to ensure that the steel processing industry is also protected by this instrument - this is not just about 600 jobs in Saarland, but about 70,000 jobs in the industry throughout Europe. The environmental efforts of these companies to date must not have been in vain. Including their products in the scope would also be an incentive to make their production even more environmentally friendly in future," emphasized the MEP.

Ripa was delighted after her visit: "The steel processing industry in Saarland proves that it is also possible for energy-intensive companies to improve their environmental footprint. The EU must continue to support these efforts."