Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra, in a written answer on 22 June 2026, defended the coherence between EU climate policies and industrial strategies, pointing to a suite of measures designed to ensure that publicly funded green investments materialise in Europe and that carbon leakage is curbed. The answer, responding to a question from S&D MEP Estelle Ceulemans, directly addresses concerns over major steel groups like ArcelorMittal delaying decarbonisation projects while remaining dependent on carbon-intensive production.
Hoekstra's response outlines several concrete tools. The Commission has published a study developing EU sectoral decarbonisation pathways consistent with the European Climate Law, which can serve as a reference for assessing corporate transition plans. Innovation Fund rules require projects to be developed and deployed in Europe, and the proposed European Competitiveness Fund may include local production requirements. The Industrial Accelerator Act proposes lead markets for low-carbon steel in public procurement, and low-carbon steel can also be used to meet CO2 standards for cars and vans. Carbon leakage is addressed by targeted free allocation in the EU ETS, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and support under the proposed Temporary Decarbonisation Fund. Additionally, provisionally agreed trade measures introduce a new tariff system with reduced import quotas and higher duties for imports exceeding those quotas.
The answer, while providing a comprehensive list of existing and proposed instruments, does not set new numerical targets or deadlines. It largely reiterates commitments from the Clean Industrial Deal and the Steel and Metals Action Plan, as well as the ETS review foreseen before summer 2026. The policy orientation is one of maintaining investment certainty through a mix of regulatory, trade, and financial measures, with a focus on domestic production and lead markets. Institutional follow-up will centre on the adoption of the Industrial Accelerator Act and the Competitiveness Fund, as well as the upcoming ETS review, which will signal the future direction of carbon pricing and leakage protection.