The material steel is the basis for a sustainable production in other branches. The German steel industry is the starting point for many industrial value added chains, like for example electrical engineering, steel construction, building industry, mechanical engineering, automotive industry as well as steel processing and metal goods. Through its manifold material properties steel is the solution for the customers of the steel industry to reduce CO₂ emissions and to contribute to climate protection. The steel industry in Germany is one of the most modern in the world. But the production of steel inevitably leads to CO₂ emissions. The current plans for the CO₂ emission trading in Europe for the period from 2013 on, the increasing costs of the financial support of renewable energies and the planned decreasing of the energy tax relief burden especially the German steel industry and impair its competition in the international business. In the course of this there exist important arguments for a steel production in Germany. As a consequence the question arises “Quo vadis steel industry — what road does it take?”

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