“Nationalization is not the correct answer today.” This is the answer that Marc Ferracci brings to the various political leaders who requested this solution on the occasion of May 1 to save the 600 jobs threatened with suppression in the north of the country.
“The nationalization is not on the agenda,” said the minister responsible for industry and energy in BFMTV. “The steel industry is a sovereignty industry in which other industries depend, such as automotive, defense or aeronautics. Everything must be done to preserve this industry in our soil, that is, so that the sites do not close and that we continue to produce steel in our soil.”
For Marc Ferracci, the challenge is to ensure that Elelor invests in his sites, including Dunkerque, particularly within the framework of decarbonation of his activity for which the group benefits from state support for 850 million euros.
“Money paid to Arceormittal is paid in exchange for investments, R&D expenses for the fiscal credit of research, so it should not be said that money is paid without compensation,” said the government member.
Brussels “extremely strong” measures against Chinese imports
To encourage Arceormittal to invest in its French sites, the Minister of Industry understands that the group needs guarantees, while European steel has great difficulty, continental production has decreased by 20% between 2018 and 2023.
“We need to act on several levers: at European level with more commercial protection towards Chinese steel,” Marc Ferracci insists. “Today, there is an extremely difficult steel situation that requires protection, investment support, more competitive energy costs.”
Specifically, the Government member wants in particular that “the European Commission will take extremely strong measures to avoid Chinese steel imports, which caused Elelor to have suspended a certain number of investments.” He undertakes to go to the Dunkerque site “when we have found solutions, when we have the ability to announce prospects.”
Source: BFM TV
