Price ceiling energy for energy intensive industries Europe each time “take off prices” and cover the corresponding costs from EU funds. or Member States, proposes the President of the Association of the European Metals Industries (Eurometaux) and the Head Mytileneos Energy and MetalsEvangelos Mytileneos, in an interview he gave to Politico.

Brussels, according to Evangelos Mytileneos, has not taken the necessary steps to help its steel industry. European Union meet her face to face energy crisis. He welcomed the Critical Raw Materials Commission’s proposal, the famous Critical Raw Materials Act, which aims to diversify the supply of key materials needed for the green and digital transition as it focuses on “sectoral policy.”

However, he warned that the proposal would not bring immediate relief to the mining, oil refining and manufacturing industries. “Many of these industries in Europe are under threat, mainly due to the energy crisis,” he commented, adding that until CRM is put in place, “they have to survive.”

Mr. Mytileneos also criticized the Critical Raw Materials Act for “not putting money on the table” to bail out industries, unlike the US Inflation Reduction Act, a $369 billion package of environmental subsidies and tax credits. The Commission’s proposal “gives me the impression that it leaves the job to the private sector,” he commented.

“Many of these industries in Europe are under threat,” stressed the president of Eurometaux.

Speaking of concrete steps to be taken, he said Eurometaux is pushing the Commission towards a policy that would “cap” energy prices for energy-intensive industries whenever “prices skyrocket”. The difference will be covered by “EU funds”. or EU member states,” he said, and concluded: “I have not seen anything like it yet.”

Endorsing the demands of other industries in the sector, Mr. Mythilineos said that aluminum and zinc should be included in the Commission’s list of strategic raw materials that would benefit from faster licensing and additional funding, calling the issue “probably the most important.”

He also lamented that the Commission has “virtually done nothing to support these energy-intensive industries” over the past 18 months. As a result, “half of those industries have closed,” he said, and it’s “a matter of time” for many other companies.

Europe today produces “the purest aluminum in the world,” he said, warning that the loss of a tonne of aluminum production capacity in Europe would mean it would be produced in China or Indonesia with a fivefold carbon footprint.

When asked what should be done about the reaction of the local population to new mining projects, he said that “governments, EU authorities, companies should inform people” about the need to secure raw materials and promote the development of renewable energy sources. costs before they pay off.