Riegel/Berlin, 31 July 2025 – In a direct letter to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Gerber Steel GmbH has raised sharp criticism of the European Commission, accusing Brussels of systematically ignoring the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – with severe consequences for Europe’s economic stability.
Gerber Group to Chancellor Merz: “Brussels is undermining Europe’s economic foundation”
“What’s being marketed as a Green Deal is, in reality, a deal for large corporations with direct access to Brussels,” says Thorsten Gerber, CEO of Gerber Steel GmbH. “For SMEs like ours, these policies mean unpredictable costs, crippling bureaucracy, and a serious loss of competitiveness.”
The company is particularly alarmed by the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which is set to take effect on 1 January 2026. Despite this looming deadline, no binding formulas for calculating the CO₂ tariffs have been published. The European Commission has confirmed that this information will not be available until spring 2026 – after the regulation is already in force.
“This is not a bureaucratic mishap, it’s a structural failure. Forcing companies to comply without providing the necessary data destroys trust and economic viability,” Gerber warns. He emphasizes that smaller firms without dedicated legal or compliance departments are disproportionately affected, and politically sidelined.
Gerber Steel is calling on Chancellor Merz to actively represent the interests of SMEs in Brussels.
The company’s demands include:
- Immediate suspension of CBAM until all relevant data is available
- Formal inclusion of SMEs in all EU-level decision-making bodies related to business policy
- A fundamental review of EU trade measures to assess their disproportionate impact on smaller companies
“The Mittelstand doesn’t need more speeches. It needs political representation and concrete relief,” Gerber concludes. “We are ready to talk – because small and medium-sized businesses can do many things, but they can no longer wait.”
Your press contact
Björn Kammeyer
Head of Marketing Gerber Group
Phone: +49 7642 9282851
Mail: pr@steelnews.biz
We at the Gerber Group have been trading in stainless steel worldwide for over 20 years. We are your experts when it comes to purchasing, import, logistics and services. Information is a vital part of this. Because only then can you and we make the right decisions. Do you have any questions? Contact us now.
Disclaimer: Many things here represent our opinion. Others are information from the Internet. We can therefore never claim to be correct or complete. And never base a business decision solely on the news you receive from us.
