Riegel/Strasbourg, 26 February 2025 – As the European Commission prepares to host its “Strategic Dialogue on Steel” next week, the Gerber Group urgently calls for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to be included at the table. According to the Commission’s announcement, key stakeholders include large steel producers, raw material suppliers, and social partners — but SMEs are once again notably absent.
Strategic Dialogue on Steel: SMEs Must Not Be Excluded Again
“This deliberate exclusion of SMEs is unacceptable,” says Thorsten Gerber, CEO of the Germany-based international metals trader Gerber Group. “More than 11.5 million people work in Europe’s metal processing industry, the majority in SMEs. Ignoring their voices weakens the foundation of our industrial economy.”
Past steel and industrial policies have repeatedly prioritized multinational corporations through subsidies and protectionist measures — companies that, unlike SMEs, carry minimal entrepreneurial risk. Meanwhile, SMEs innovate, invest, and provide stable employment, yet are consistently sidelined in EU strategy processes.
“Policy must be based on facts, not narratives!”
Gerber also challenged recent Commission claims regarding steel exports. “Deputy Director-General Rubinacci told Parliament that there are no further EU steel exports to the US — when in fact 2024 exports rose by 9.3% compared to 2019,” Gerber noted. “Policy must be based on facts, not narratives.”
In the face of increasing global trade tensions, the Gerber Group warns against further restricting free trade or expanding protectionism. “Europe needs open markets, fair competition, and affordable raw materials — not more tariffs and closed-door summits dominated by industrial giants,” Gerber concluded.
The Gerber Group calls on MEPs to ensure real entrepreneurs and SME representatives have a seat in the Strategic Dialogue on Steel. Europe’s industrial future must be shaped by all — not just a powerful few.
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