Introduction: The Historic Importance and Continued Relevance of Steel-Making in Europe
摘要
The relative economic and political importance of the steel industry for the European project has decreased since the founding of the Economic Coal and Steel Community in 1952, but its absolute importance remains high and critical for the European project’s future success. However, for the continued survival of the European steel industry and among a wider set of challenges, the sector has to face and overcome what is often referred to as the 'twin challenges': digitalisation, in the form of Industry 4.0, and decarbonisation. This chapter discusses the twin challenges and introduces the contributions made to this edited collection, which begin to answer and address how best to respond to these challenges to safeguard the future of the European steel industry.