Steel industry bosses discuss restructuring strategies in preparation for accession
Some 140 delegates representing the Member States' and candidate countries' steel industry associations met on 9 and 10 November in Brussels to discuss ways to help restructure the steel industry in the EU accession candidate countries of central and eastern Europe. 'Promoting dialogue between the EU and central and Eastern European accession candidate countries is vital to overcome the difficulties of restructuring and privatising their steel industries in time to join the Union,' said the Commission. It hoped the event would help to increase the flow of information on recent progress and the challenges ahead between governments, the steel industry and the European Commission. Enterprise and information society Commissioner, Erkki Liikanen, opened the event during which participants debated how to enhance competitiveness, country reports findings and selected government policies on restructuring. The forum was 'designed to help candidate countries' restructuring efforts to keep pace with their pre-accession strategies, by disseminating expertise, and raising awareness of national and corporate restructuring strategies,' said the Commission.