Brussels, 1 October 2026 - The European Steel Association (EUROFER) has elected Geert Van Poelvoorde, Chairman of the Board of ArcelorMittal Europe Steel, as its new President. Taking office today, Mr Van Poelvoorde said stronger home markets across the steel value chain, secure access to export markets and a strong industrial base will be essential to delivering on the European Union’s ambitions for global competitiveness and strategic autonomy.

He takes up the EUROFER Presidency as global trade becomes increasingly fragmented and traditional export markets become harder to access. A new EUROFER report, also published today, shows that EU steel exports to third countries fell by 20% in the first half of 2026, while steel production reached a historic low of 125.8 million tonnes in 2025 and fell by a further 1% in the first five months of 2026.

Van Poelvoorde said the EU’s new steel trade measure, in force since 1 July, is a critically important foundation for the sector in responding to global overcapacity. EUROFER estimates that the measure could create the conditions to restore around 15 million tonnes of European steel production each year. Early developments are encouraging, with capacity being restarted despite continued weak demand. And major investments in low-carbon steelmaking are taking place across Europe where the right conditions are in place.

The new President argued that the priority now is to build on that progress by strengthening the conditions for investment and growth, creating stronger markets for products made in the EU and ensuring European steel can compete both at home and internationally.

Geert Van Poelvoorde, President of EUROFER, said: “The European Commission deserves credit for putting industrial policy back at the heart of the EU’s priorities. The new steel trade measure is unprecedented and recognises that a strong industrial base is fundamental to our strategic autonomy. It is creating the conditions for European steelmaking capacity to return, and we must build on this progress.

“Europe’s steel industry is investing in the transformation towards climate neutrality. But to trigger the next wave of investment across all of Europe, the EU ETS must be adjusted to create a viable business case. We also need truly competitive energy costs, stronger demand for European-made products and a strong European industrial value chain.”

Van Poelvoorde also stressed that Europe cannot rely on its domestic market alone, calling on the EU to “recapture export markets and ensure European steel - and especially low- carbon steel - can compete internationally”. As European producers face carbon costs that competitors in many international markets do not, he said the review of the ETS must provide an effective and structural solution for exports, the phase-out of free allocation needs to be slowed-down significantly for the next few years until the enabling conditions are in place in all steel producing regions.

Mr Van Poelvoorde succeeds Dr Henrik Adam, Executive Chairman of Tata Steel Netherlands Holding and Chairman of the Steel Institute VDEh in Germany, who has served as EUROFER President since 2024. Dr Adam takes up his new role as Director General of the World Steel Association today. Peter Bernscher of Tata Steel Netherlands BV was also elected Vice-President of EUROFER, with his term also beginning today.

Notes for editors

Contact
David French, Spokesperson and Head of Communications, +32 2 738 79 35, (d.french@eurofer.eu)

About the European Steel Association (EUROFER)
EUROFER AISBL is located in Brussels and was founded in 1976. It represents the entirety of steel production in the European Union. EUROFER members are steel companies and national steel federations throughout the EU. The major steel companies and national steel federation of Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom are associate members.

The European Steel Association is recorded in the EU transparency register: 93038071152-83.

About the European steel industry
The European steel industry is a world leader in innovation and environmental sustainability. It has a turnover of around €215 billion and directly employs around 298,000 highly-skilled people, producing on average 146 million tonnes of steel per year. More than 500 steel production sites across 22 EU Member States provide direct and indirect employment to millions more European citizens. Closely integrated with Europe’s manufacturing and construction industries, steel is the backbone for development, growth and employment in Europe.

Steel is the most versatile industrial material in the world. The thousands of different grades and types of steel developed by the industry make the modern world possible. Steel is 100% recyclable and therefore is a fundamental part of the circular economy. As a basic engineering material, steel is also an essential factor in the development and deployment of innovative, CO2-mitigating technologies, improving resource efficiency and fostering sustainable development in Europe.