European Aluminium welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a Public Procurement Act (PPA) and calls for a framework that enables public demand to reward low-carbon, circular and responsibly produced aluminium in Europe. The Act should allow public buyers to recognise long-term value rather than relying predominantly on the lowest initial price. This position paper sets out five priority areas to strengthen competitiveness, resilience and sustainable production across the European aluminium value chain.

Together with industries ranging from critical minerals and metals to glass and food production, the signatories call on policymakers to ensure that the final agreement on heat and fuel fallback benchmarks for 2026–2030 makes full use of the available flexibility to mitigate reductions in free allocation across affected sectors. This approach would remain consistent with the original objective of the Commission’s proposal and help limit undue carbon-cost pressures on European industry.

European Aluminium notes that the European Parliament’s position on the 2026–2030 heat and fuel fallback benchmarks does not go far enough to correct unrealistic cuts affecting key parts of the aluminium value chain. Ahead of trilogue negotiations, the association calls for a more effective adjustment that reflects technological realities, limits carbon leakage risks and preserves industry’s capacity to invest in decarbonisation.