Germany’s Bundesrat, before the summer recess, supported a resolution from North Rhine-Westphalia for rapid implementation of the European Steel and Metals Action Plan, backed by other states. The German Steel Federation’s Kerstin Maria Rippel warned that without immediate action, tens of thousands of jobs, climate targets and Germany’s industrial strength are at risk. She called for urgent relief on energy costs, stronger trade defenses & support for local low-emission production. The industry’s future, she stressed, depends on quick political action.