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24 Nov 2025

Position Paper: An Action Plan for the Affordable Electrification of the European Aluminium Industry

European primary aluminium production has a carbon footprint nearly 60% lower than the global average, largely due to the increasing use of low-carbon electricity in smelters. As one of the most electro-intensive industrial processes—where electricity represents 30–45% of total production costs—primary aluminium is disproportionately exposed to Europe’s high energy prices. Industrial gas and electricity prices in Europe are currently two to four times higher than in the US and China, driven largely by regulatory charges and system costs. This is why the Electrification Action Plan must prioritise delivering globally cost-competitive, low-carbon electricity for fully electrified processes like primary aluminium, enabling the sector to continue decarbonising while paving the way for broader industrial electrification in the future.

14 Nov 2025

EU Free Trade Agenda: Why Maintaining Import Tariffs on Aluminium Is Essential

This position paper sets out the rationale for excluding aluminium (Chapter 76 of the Harmonised System) from tariff-liberalisation commitments in the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While the European Union (EU) aluminium industry recognises the broader objective of FTAs to remove trade barriers, including tariffs, European Aluminium believes that exemptions are necessary in specific cases to ensure trade remains not only free, but also fair. This note outlines the key reasons why aluminium products should be excluded from tariff liberalisation in any potential FTAs with India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the UAE.

10 Nov 2025

Position Paper: Policy Recommendations for the Circular Economy Act

European Aluminium welcomes the European Commission’s consultation on the Circular Economy Act (CEA) and reaffirms its commitment to strengthening aluminium recycling in Europe — supporting economic security, strategic autonomy, decarbonisation objectives, and industrial competitiveness. This paper outlines key actions and policy interventions, proposing a roadmap to ensure the Circular Economy Act effectively accelerates circularity while safeguarding Europe’s long-term industrial resilience.

7 Nov 2025

Permanent Materials Alliance: Our recommendations for the Circular Economy Act

The Circular Economy Act (CEA) presents a key opportunity to strenghten Europe’s leadership in circularity and strategic autonomy. The Permanent Materials Alliance (PMA)— representing the aluminium, glass and steel packaging industries—strongly supports the initiative and calls on the European Commission to shape the CEA around a resourcefocused, material-efficient, and industrially resilient circular economy.

4 Nov 2025

Protecting Europe’s Aluminium Industry Starts with Fixing CBAM

Aluminium is priced globally on the London Metal Exchange, forcing European producers to sell at international prices while bearing higher domestic production costs. CBAM was designed to level the playing field by applying a carbon price on imports, but in its current form it distorts markets and further raises costs in Europe. This paper sets out what must change in CBAM to ensure it truly protects Europe’s aluminium industry.

26 Sep 2025

CBAM Implementation: Rules on the Methodology for Calculating Embedded Emissions, the Adjustment of CBAM Certificates & the Carbon Price Paid in a Third Country – European Aluminium Response to the Calls for Evidence

CBAM poses specific challenges for Europe’s aluminium sector, an energy- and electro-intensive industry competing on global prices. The loss of free ETS allocations combined with higher costs on all aluminium transactions, including scrap, risks creating serious competitive distortions in a market already dependent on imports for over 50% of supply.