BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) also wants to work at EU level to strengthen the struggling steel industry. Following a national steel summit in Berlin, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit announced that the Chancellor is in favor of a European steel summit in the near future. Scholz met with industry representatives, works councils and trade unions.

The German government advocated to the EU Commission that important relief instruments for the steel industry should remain in place or be improved, according to the statement. The Commission must act decisively when it comes to distortions of competition caused by dumping and market-distorting subsidies. The EU authorities must examine further trade protection measures for the steel sector.

Union speaks of "show summit"

Scholz also reiterated plans by the red-green government to reduce grid fees and thus relieve energy-intensive companies of electricity costs. However, the red-green coalition no longer has a majority in the Bundestag following the failure of the traffic light coalition.

The economic policy spokesperson for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Julia Klockner, spoke of a "show summit" in the Chancellery. "The remaining traffic light no longer has a majority and can no longer implement anything on its own."

IG Metall demands results

Jürgen Kerner, Second Chairman of IG Metall, said that the union and works councils had drawn attention to the tense situation in the steel companies at the meeting in the Chancellery. "Ten thousand employees have demonstrated in the past for the climate-neutral restructuring of the steel industry and now feel left alone." The capping of electricity grid fees at three cents planned by the German government is the right first step, but should not be implemented with the next government. "We need an internationally competitive electricity price now," said Kerner./hoe/DP/mis