We set out how the EU ETS must evolve post-2030 to support both climate ambition and Europe’s industrial competitiveness. The paper calls for a realistic ETS cap trajectory aligned with technology readiness, stronger carbon leakage protection, continued indirect cost compensation, and targeted funding to decarbonise the aluminium value chain. These reforms are essential to keep low-carbon aluminium production in Europe while safeguarding strategic autonomy, circularity, and the clean energy transition.

Europe is at a critical juncture. Unfair trade practices and structural overcapacity in non-market economies are placing increasing pressure on Europe’s industrial base, affecting upstream and downstream sectors alike. In this joint statement, the signatories call on the European Commission to strengthen the effectiveness of the EU trade defence toolbox through a series of targeted and ambitious measures.

The signatories call for faster and more effective trade defence procedures, alongside the urgent allocation of additional human resources to DG Trade’s trade defence services, in order to strengthen the speed, effectiveness and enforcement capacity of investigations. While supporting the EU’s existing Trade Defence Instruments as essential tools to address unfair trade practices, the signatories stress that these instruments must be further reinforced to respond effectively to growing global market distortions.