European  Aluminium  represents  the  entire  value  chain  of  the  aluminium  industry  in  Europe.  Its  industry  is  leading the transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy, sitting at the start of long value chains that are essential for European  citizens:  transport  (40%),  building  and  construction  (30%)  and  packaging  (20%).  The  COVID-19  crisis  is having a disruptive impact on its value chain and members’ daily operations, ranging from plant closures due to the lower demand and government restrictions, to a shortage of workers and liquidity problems. It provided a range of recommendations for a sustainable industrial recovery plan.

To recover from the crisis, Europe needs to reduce some of the pressure on economic actors, in particular small and medium-sized companies,  both  in  the  short  and  long-term. It  also  needs  to  re-establish  confidence  and  stimulate demand for sustainable products and solutions.

Global competition, especially from China, will ramp-up fiercely in the post-COVID19 world, threatening even more European aluminium producers’ resilience. Maintaining primary and   recycled aluminium production is essential for Europe’s raw material sovereignty.

In  daily  business  operations, the industry  sees  that  the  response  to  the  current  crisis  is  not  less  Europe,  but  more Europe, and it starts with our common European market. It is vital to ensure the transportation of essential goods and  flow  of  services  across  our  borders,  such  as  medical,  pharmaceutical,  food  and  energy.  In  this  respect,  they  welcome the European Commission’s initiatives on ‘Green Lanes’ and on the free movement of workers to support the functioning of the Single Market.

The association believes that maintaining the free movement of goods, workers and services under safe conditions should be a cornerstone of the recovery plan. 

RETROFEED partner and demonstration site, ASAŞ, is a member through its membership in TALSAD, the Turkish Aluminium Industrialists Association.

Read the full article published by EEIP here.