CEO Position on Steel as a key raw material for the European tool industry

3 March 2026

Steel as a key raw material for the European tool industry: Securing competitiveness, maintaining open trade

European tool industry calling for inclusion of downstream products such as hand tools, power tool accessories and measuring tools, in EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the inclusion of downstream products immediately AND enable re-exports to be competitive in the framework of the EU Steel Safeguard Measures.

 

The European hand tool industry stands for open and fair trade. Our companies are strongly export-oriented and supply quality products “Made in Europe” all over the world. Open markets, reliable rules, and international competitiveness are therefore central prerequisites for growth, employment, and innovation in Europe.

At the same time, it is clear that competitiveness does not arise solely from the market, but also from fair production conditions. European manufacturers bear high costs due to energy prices, regulation, and climate protection requirements. For Europe to remain industrially strong, trade and climate policy must be designed in such a way that it prevents carbon leakage and distortions of competition – without abandoning the principle of open trade.

Steel is a key raw material for the tool industry: it is indispensable for the quality, durability, and safety of many tools. That is why two regulatory approaches currently under discussion must be designed in such a way that they protect Europe's industrial value creation as a whole: the CO₂ border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) and the EU Steel Safeguard Measures. Both are interventions in trade, but under the current conditions in the EU, they are still necessary as long as they are proportionate, prevent abuse, and do not place a unilateral burden on European manufacturers.

You can find the full text of the CEO Position Paper in the Download section below.