Overview
- The protests on Friday, June 12, 2026 drew about 1,700 people to Berlin and roughly 8,500 to Völklingen according to union and police counts, as steelworkers marched to press the federal government for clearer policy.
- The European Commission is expected to propose revisions to the Emissions Trading System in July and IG Metall warns that weakening the ETS would punish firms that already invested in low‑carbon production and put roughly 20,000 jobs at risk.
- The federal government and EU have pledged support for the sector, including about €8 billion in transformation funding and a temporary industrial electricity price, but unions say the measures are too small, short‑lived and lack planning certainty.
- Global pressure and weak domestic demand have driven the crisis: German crude steel output fell to 34.1 million tonnes in 2025 and companies have begun deep restructurings such as Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe's plan to cut about 11,000 jobs.
- What happens in July will shape the transition: the ETS review could either preserve incentives that reward early green‑steel investments or loosen carbon costs in ways that shift competitive pressure and influence the fate of regional jobs and future plant conversions.