Tata Steel Europe is the European division of Tata Steel, one of the world’s top 15 steel producers, with a crude steel capacity exceeding 28 million tonnes and a workforce of approximately 80,000 across four continents. Registered in the EU Transparency Register since April 2009 (ID: 08746491502-16), Tata Steel Europe is a major player in the European steel industry, with principal steelmaking operations in the UK and the Netherlands. The company supplies steel and related services to diverse sectors such as construction, automotive, packaging, and material handling.
The mission of Tata Steel Europe is to build a sustainable, leading European steel business. The company is deeply engaged in EU policy debates, especially those affecting the steel sector, such as climate change, energy transition, research and development, the steel action plan, competition, trade, the circular economy, and the digital single market. Tata Steel Europe’s lobbying activities focus on ensuring that EU policy and regulatory frameworks support the competitiveness and sustainability of the European steel industry.
The firm’s engagement with EU institutions is extensive. It participates in high-level policy discussions and expert groups, such as the European Commission’s Steel Advisory Group, and is a member of several influential industry associations, including Eurofer, Apeal, Make UK, CBI, VNO-NCW, FME, VNMI, VEMW, and ICC1. Tata Steel Europe also actively seeks EU grants for R&D and innovation, particularly in energy and environmental projects, exemplified by receiving €1.5 million from the Research Fund for Coal and Steel in the 2017–2018 financial year.
The company’s lobbying costs for the 2017–2018 financial year were reported at €250,000, with a declared 1.75 full-time equivalent lobbyists. Tata Steel Europe has held at least 20 high-level meetings with EU Commissioners, their cabinets, and Directors-General, focusing on the steel sector’s competitiveness, decarbonization, industrial policy, and trade issues1. Its approach to lobbying is in-house, with no declared use of external lobbying consultancies.
Tata Steel Europe’s lobbying efforts are characterized by a strong emphasis on sustainability, industrial competitiveness, and the transition to a low-carbon economy. The company is proactive in shaping EU policy to reflect the needs of energy-intensive industries and to secure a favorable regulatory environment for steel manufacturing in Europe.
