Minister questioned on Brexit implications on UK steel sector
6 July 2016
Anna Soubry MP, is being questioned by 5 Committees on EU-wide actions to address the steel crisis and Brexit vote implications for the UK steel sector.
- Watch Parliament TV: Steel: Preserving sustainable jobs and growth in Europe
- Inquiry: Steel: Preserving sustainable jobs and growth in Europe
The European Scrutiny, Business, Innovation and Skills, Energy and Climate Change, Welsh Affairs and Work and Pensions Committees have called the Minister of State for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise to give evidence on the UK Government's position on EU level action and support for the steel sector, particularly in light of the referendum result.
Witness
Wednesday 6 July 2016, Grimond Room, Portcullis House
At 2.40pm
- Rt Hon Anna Soubry MP, Minister of State for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- Niall Mackenzie, Director of Infrastructure and Materials, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Background
The UK steel industry is facing an acute crisis in the face of global overcapacity in steel production, unfair trading practices (notably by China dumping its excess steel production on to EU markets at below cost price, exacerbating the global fall in steel prices), and volatile energy prices.
As steel plants in the UK and across the EU close or face imminent closure, resulting in thousands of job losses across the EU, attention is focusing on what, if any, actions the EU and individual Member States should take to address the current crisis and ensure the longer-term sustainability of the industry.
What is the Government's evolving position on trade, state aid, and energy and environmental actions that are currently determined at an EU level? What are the implications of the Brexit vote? Given that the timing of the UK's withdrawal from the EU and the nature of any post-Brexit agreement is unclear, there is uncertainty about how long the UK will be bound by EU trade, state aid and environmental and energy rules and what happens next.
Purpose of session
The joint evidence session will cover the following issues:
- Trade actions — reforms to EU antidumping legislation; whether or not to grant China market economy status; and how to tackle global overcapacity
- State aid actions — the application of the current rules for the steel sector and potential reforms
- EU emissions trading system (ETS) — its implications for energy intensive industries and the UK's future participation in ETS
Further information
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