Europe's metal industry asks EU to help it deliver energy transition

Eurometaux has asked EU policy-makers to allow member states to support domestic producers with state aid to ensure supplies of the metals crucial for the transition to low carbon energy

Industry association Eurometaux has asked EU policy-makers to allow member states to support domestic producers of aluminium, zinc and silicon with state aid to ensure supplies of the metals crucial for the transition to low carbon energy.

The European Union has a goal to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030, as a step towards "net zero" by 2050, with plans including electric vehicles that need aluminium and renewable energy that needs zinc and silicon.

More than half of the EU's aluminium and zinc smelters have reduced capacity or have closed temporarily, while silicon production has been