Will Steel Determine Europe's Path Forward?
If we are to trust the European steel lobby, the very future of the EU’s peace project is at risk. Domestic steel producers, they argue, are once again under existential threat.

The Schuman Declaration: A Safeguard Against Future Conflicts
EUROFER, the European Steel Association, highlights the significance of the Schuman Declaration—delivered by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman on 9 May 1950 and seen as the foundation of the current European Union. Its core purpose was to prevent renewed warfare between France and Germany.

What Was the Schuman Declaration’s Original Intent?
The declaration proposed the establishment of a high authority to oversee European steel and coal production. This body would be responsible for:

• Driving modernization and quality improvements in production

• Guaranteeing equal access to steel and coal supplies for France, Germany, and all member nations

• Facilitating collaborative exports to markets outside the union

• Enhancing workers’ living standards across these industries

Schuman also emphasized that the aim was to dismantle international cartels, which restricted competition and kept profits high. Instead, he envisioned integrated markets and increased production.

Multinational Giants Dominate the Steel Sector
Referring to the Schuman Declaration is somewhat ironic for EUROFER, given that its original purpose was to prevent the rise of cartels and monopolies. Today, however, a small group of multinational corporations dominate European steel production. Over time, these companies have shown little motivation to innovate, instead building a heavily protected EU market that effectively divides and exploits national markets.

Dividends Over Decarbonization
It is unfortunate that the spirit of the European peace project is now being used to push for new layers of protectionism, subsidies, and export restrictions. While EUROFER campaigns for these measures, it omits the fact that its members have distributed billions in dividends to shareholders, yet invested only a small portion of those profits into plant modernization or decarbonization efforts.

Media coverage of these industry appeals is also problematic. Many outlets, including specialized trade media, uncritically repeat such narratives, thereby bolstering the position of multinational steelmakers and misrepresenting the real situation.

Commenting on these developments, Thorsten Gerber, CEO of the Gerber Group, stated: “The uproar from EUROFER is truly disgraceful. Frankly, those involved should be ashamed, though a sense of shame is clearly lacking among lobbyists—no wonder their reputations are so poor given this kind of conduct.”

Nickel and Aluminium Prices Surge
Today, Asian nickel prices rose by up to 0.8%. On the London Metal Exchange (LME), nickel was up about 0.7% after trading opened, while spot prices for Chinese nickel climbed over 0.9%.

In China, cold-rolled stainless steel prices increased by roughly 0.4%, and stainless steel scrap went up by more than 1% in some cases.

Aluminium Maintains Its Upward Trend
Aluminium prices have steadily gained since early May, rising nearly 4% on the LME between 1 and 13 May. Today, prices on the LME improved by 1.3% shortly after the session opened, surpassing USD 2,500 per metric ton. On the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE), aluminium contracts also climbed about 1.4% today.