The European aluminium, steel, coal chemical, ferroalloys, silicon, carbon and graphite industries express serious concerns regarding the newly proposed Occupational Exposure Limit Value for benzo[a]pyrene under the 6th revision of the CMR Directive. If adopted without adjustment, the proposal risks increasing Europe’s reliance on imports of strategic raw materials and value-added products, effectively shifting impacts to workers and environments outside the EU’s regulatory framework. In this joint statement, the signatories call for an approach that ensures effective worker protection while safeguarding European production of strategic and critical raw materials, without further weakening key industrial sectors.

European Aluminium calls on EU institutions to adopt decisive trade measures to safeguard the viability of the European aluminium sector, a strategic industry for Europe’s economic security, competitiveness and resilience. The sector is facing increasing pressure from global market disruptions, making targeted and effective policy action essential. This paper outlines European Aluminium’s key trade concerns and proposes concrete measures to protect a critical industry for Europe’s future.

European Aluminium welcomes the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on trade measures to ensure sufficient availability of aluminium scrap on the EU market. The sector’s transition towards climate neutrality is structurally dependent on increased use of recycled aluminium, which generates around 95% fewer CO₂ emissions than primary production. Ensuring access to adequate quantities of aluminium scrap at competitive prices within the EU is therefore a prerequisite for maintaining a resilient, low-carbon aluminium value chain in Europe.