Decarbonisation Dissonance & Directive Discrepancies Disenchant Industrialists

In a candid interview with Siderweb, Carlo Beltrame, board member of AFV Beltrame Group, lamented the structural incoherencies in the EU’s climate policy. “There is a clear disconnect,” he remarked, “between the Union’s grand declarations on green transition & the way it actually rewards, or rather, fails to reward, those who have already committed to it.”While EU funds flow toward converting legacy blast furnaces, Italy’s electric arc furnace producers, who already emit far less CO₂, find themselves excluded from crucial financial mechanisms. “It’s as though we’re being penalised for being early movers,” Beltrame added, “when we should be the benchmark for others.”

Electro-Steel Eminence Embodies Environmental Excellence & Efficiency

Italy stands atop Europe’s decarbonisation leaderboard, with over 85% of its steel output derived from scrap-based EAFs. This places the nation as the most “electro-steel” country in the Union. The AFV Beltrame Group has been a torchbearer in this transformation. “We’ve invested in technology, transparency, & sustainability,” Carlo noted, “but instead of being supported, we’re suffocating under outdated policy frameworks.”By avoiding the high-emission blast furnace route, Italian producers are reducing carbon footprints substantially. Yet, paradoxically, these very actions garner them neither tax benefits nor inclusion in decarbonisation incentive programs.

Energy Extremities & Economic Encumbrances Ensnare Efficiency Efforts

Energy price disparity across Member States remains a sore point. Italy’s industrial users often pay 20–30% more for electricity than counterparts in France or Germany. “We are green by design but punished by default,” Beltrame stated emphatically.He called for a Europe-wide approach to harmonising industrial energy tariffs, arguing that without this alignment, “climate leadership will be replaced by economic marginalisation.” Rising operational costs in a volatile energy market have left even the most sustainable plants grappling for profitability.

Scrap Supply Snarls & Sovereign Stipulations Stymie Steelmakers

Access to scrap metal, crucial for EAFs, is increasingly constrained due to protectionist export controls. “Raw materials critical to the circular economy are being treated like geopolitical chess pieces,” Beltrame explained.Countries hoarding scrap for domestic use have caused a surge in costs & an unpredictable flow to Italy’s mills. “If the EU wants to promote circularity, it must legislate for open, fair trade within its borders,” he added, urging policymakers to define scrap as a critical raw material protected from trade distortions.

CBAM Complexities & Carbon Conundrums Confound Compliance Champions

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, hailed as Europe’s bulwark against carbon leakage, may ironically benefit polluters more than pioneers. “CBAM, as currently structured, doesn’t differentiate enough between dirty steel and clean steel,” Beltrame criticised.He highlighted that CBAM's metrics don’t reflect nuanced emission levels, thereby failing to recognise firms like his that operate at a fraction of the emissions of conventional producers. “We’re at risk of being priced out of markets by dirtier, cheaper imports, exactly the scenario CBAM was meant to prevent,” he warned.

Beltrame’s Bold Blueprint Bolsters Balkan & Boot-Based Bases

Despite policy adversity, the AFV Beltrame Group is not standing still. At its Vicenza plant, it has launched a new continuous casting facility, enabling production of slabs, a first for the group. “It’s about broadening our portfolio to remain competitive,” said Carlo.In Romania, the group is enlarging operations at its Donalam unit. “We see Eastern Europe not as a frontier but as a fulcrum of future growth,” he explained, underscoring the strategic value of resilient, regional infrastructure amidst global supply chain flux.

Sustainability Seals & Science-Based Standards Strengthen Standing

The group has become Europe’s first steel producer to receive certification from the Global Steel Climate Council®, GSCC®. This validates its Corporate Average Steel Emissions Intensity and sets a precedent in transparency. “We’ve opened our books to the world,” Carlo said.Additionally, the Science-Based Emissions Targets, which confirm the group’s medium- and long-term decarbonisation plans, have also been validated. “We’re not greenwashing,” he added proudly, “we’re blueprinting a sustainable steel future.”

Strategic Symbiosis & Substantive Suggestions Spur Systemic Shifts

To bridge the disparity between ambition & action, Beltrame has proposed a robust reform roadmap. “Decarbonisation aid must be restructured to reflect carbon intensity, not production method,” he said. He advocated for tariff equalisation, scrap export liberalisation, & a CBAM framework that’s emissions-sensitive, not geography-biased.“If Europe wants a climate-conscious industry, it must reward those already doing the hard work,” Beltrame concluded. “Otherwise, we risk rewarding inertia & punishing innovation.”

Key Takeaways

• AFV Beltrame Group, leading Italy’s electro-steel sector, critiques EU policies that favour polluting blast furnaces while ignoring clean producers.

• Energy cost disparities & scrap export constraints are economically straining green steelmakers in Italy.

• Beltrame achieved GSCC® certification & SBET validation, yet calls for reforming CBAM & EU support frameworks to reflect emissions reality.