At its final session before the summer parliamentary recess, the Bundesrat backed a resolution from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia urging swift implementation of the European Steel and Metals Action Plan (ESMAP). Additionally, three federal states called for a national steel summit. The German Steel Industry Association (WVStahl) welcomed the move, emphasizing the need for coordinated action to implement coalition agreements and push ESMAP forward at the EU level.

WVStahl Managing Director Kerstin Maria Rippel stressed the importance of stronger foreign trade protection, competitive electricity prices, and lower transmission tariffs. The association also called for green-focused public procurement and the creation of markets for low-emission raw materials produced within Germany and the EU.

With one-third of steel consumed in the EU now imported, and facing global overcapacity and US tariffs of 50%, WVStahl warns of underutilized production capacity. From January to May 2025, German steel production fell by 10.8% year on year to 14.43 million tons, with pig iron and rolled steel output also declining significantly.