Heavy energy taxes must be removed for aluminium industry to thrive

 A recent study by the Centre for European Policy Studies has shown that the aluminium industry in Europe is at an 11 per cent cost disadvantage with the rest of the world.

 

Carl Tomlinson, President of the Aluminium Federation (ALFED), argues that this is a "direct result of energy taxation”, with aluminium products now being made and imported outside of Europe.

 

Speaking to the Information Daily following a Breakfast Briefing with members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the UK Aluminium Industry, Tomlinson says the additional carbon usage of importing products will be "detrimental" to an industry attempting to hit global warming targets.

 

Simon MacVicker, the upcoming president of ALFED, also slammed the high costs of energy taxes in Europe, explaining that as a consequence "a lot of aluminium capacity has been lost from Europe”.

 

Trying to boost growth into the European industry for all metals, and especially aluminium, he says, is "a hard task" where a competitive environment is essential. 

 

Tomlinson believes that raising this issue with MPs and members of the House of Lords is vital so that a “robust energy policy”, which doesn’t punish British companies, can be agreed.

 

However, this will not be a fast process, as MacVicker explains, “we’re not looking for a 2-year horizon but a 10 to 20 year horizon”.

 

Will Savage, Chief Executive of ALFED added: “Our next step is to have a meeting with Michael Fallon, the Energy and Business Minister, and subsequently a series of meetings where we can speak to our politicians”.

 

This will allow MPs to engage with “their equivalents” in the European commission, and “carry our message back up to the commission”, concludes Savage.