Source: European Parliament
The Commission is aware of the situation regarding the Acciaierie d’Italia steelworks and its impact on local industry workers and economic sectors.
The Commission acknowledges the challenges posed by the need to decarbonise the plant, while ensuring the health and safety of workers and the surrounding environment.
The Commission has put forward a Clean Industrial Deal[1] which was closely followed by the Steel and Metals Action Plan[2], which aims to support the transition of the steel industry towards environmental sustainability.
The action plan sets out measures to support the steel industry in its effort to reduce carbon emissions, while maintaining its competitiveness and protecting the health and safety of workers.
Regarding the support for Acciaierie d’Italia workers, the Commission notes that the National Programme Just Transition Fund Italy, co-funded by the EU with EUR 1.029 billion, provides support for workers at risk of losing their jobs.
In the Taranto area, it will support skilling action for the unemployed and for those at risk of losing their jobs. The Apulia Region also plans to launch relevant training courses, financed by the EU Cohesion Funds.
The Commission is monitoring the implementation of measures adopted to bring the Acciaierie d’Italia plant into compliance with Directive 2010/75/EU[3], as part of an ongoing infringement procedure[4].
The Commission is aware that national funds worth EUR 400 million, which were initially supposed to finance projects to clean up contaminated aquifers and sites in the area, have since been reallocated to the Taranto steelworks so that they can keep production going. These funds and their reallocation is a matter for the Italian Republic.
- [1] https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/clean-industrial-deal_en.
- [2] https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/publications/european-steel-and-metals-action-plan_en.
- [3] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2010/75/oj/eng.
- [4] INFR(2013)2177 — https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/inf_25_982.