Metals & Mining
The metal industries – processing non-ferrous metals including aluminium, copper, and zinc, and ferrous materials including steel – are important to EU economic competitiveness, industrial development, and the green transition. The EU is an important producer of chromium, copper, lead, silver, and zinc, but imports most metallic ores. Industrial policy and climate change are rapidly transforming the sector’s policy environment.
In March 2026, the Commission launched the Steel and Metals Action Plan – one of the first sector-specific action plans under the new Commission. It recognises metals as strategic for Europe in terms of the energy transition and defence. EUROFER President Dr Henrik Adam welcomed the plan but immediately identified energy as ‘the elephant in the room’: ‘High energy prices affect not only steel and metals production, but are dragging down entire European industrial value chains.’ The action plan’s success depends on the Affordable Energy Action Plan actually delivering price reductions.
Critical minerals are a defining long-term challenge. The EU has set 2030 targets under the Critical Raw Materials Act for 34 minerals – including lithium and copper – required for the green and digital transitions: 10% from EU mining, 25% from recycling, 40% processed domestically, and no more than 65% from any single country. For many critical minerals, EU reliance on China already exceeds the 65% threshold. Reducing this dependence is now a political and industrial priority, creating active dossiers around new European mining projects, recycling regulation, and bilateral supply agreements.
Trump’s tariffs have created complex dynamics. US steel and aluminium tariffs have been imposed and partially suspended in the EU-US framework agreement, but the situation remains volatile. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), now in its transitional phase, is creating compliance requirements for metals importers and competitive pressure for the sector globally. The ReArm Europe programme is creating new demand for European-made metals, particularly for defence applications.