NL Times reported that the lower house of Dutch parliament wants the caretaker cabinet to quickly take steps to make Tata Steel IJmuiden operate cleaner and more sustainably. Several Dutch politicians said that, if necessary, the government should invest money in the steel factory itself by taking an interest in it as continuing on the current footing is not an option for any of the parties. VVD parliamentarian Mr Silvio Erkens believes that Tata Steel must quickly switch to green steel production and Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Mr Stef Blok must investigate the possibilities of paying for this. Mr Erkens called it crucial for future employment and prosperity that this industry is preserved for the Netherlands and he does not want to become dependent on import of steel from China, for example. Mr Erkens noted that “The Indian parent company does not intend to invest any longer in the IJmuiden site. That is why Blok must consult with the company itself and the European Commission, among others, to see how sustainability can be paid for. In the worst case scenario, the government should buy an interest.”Mr Erkens received support from Dutch environmental activist and PvdA politician Mr Joris Thijssen who envisioned a scenario in which the government, as a shareholder contributes to making the steel factory in IJmuiden more sustainable. He said “Green steel production is technically feasible. But something must also be done about the emission of harmful substances in the short term.”But Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Mr Stef Blok does not think that nationalization is the way to go. Mr Blok emphasized that “The government must enforce the rules for safety and public health indiscriminately. The conclusion may be that a company can no longer operate profitably. Then it is only more complicated if the same government is a shareholder. How long do you keep adding extras, and is that better than spending on education or police officers?"Tata Steel IJmuiden is the largest CO2 emitter in the Netherlands. The company previously made agreements with the government to reduce emissions, but these do not go far enough for parliament. Research by the RIVM recently showed that residents living in the vicinity of Tata Steel are exposed to too high concentration of toxic substances.
NL Times reported that the lower house of Dutch parliament wants the caretaker cabinet to quickly take steps to make Tata Steel IJmuiden operate cleaner and more sustainably. Several Dutch politicians said that, if necessary, the government should invest money in the steel factory itself by taking an interest in it as continuing on the current footing is not an option for any of the parties. VVD parliamentarian Mr Silvio Erkens believes that Tata Steel must quickly switch to green steel production and Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Mr Stef Blok must investigate the possibilities of paying for this. Mr Erkens called it crucial for future employment and prosperity that this industry is preserved for the Netherlands and he does not want to become dependent on import of steel from China, for example. Mr Erkens noted that “The Indian parent company does not intend to invest any longer in the IJmuiden site. That is why Blok must consult with the company itself and the European Commission, among others, to see how sustainability can be paid for. In the worst case scenario, the government should buy an interest.”Mr Erkens received support from Dutch environmental activist and PvdA politician Mr Joris Thijssen who envisioned a scenario in which the government, as a shareholder contributes to making the steel factory in IJmuiden more sustainable. He said “Green steel production is technically feasible. But something must also be done about the emission of harmful substances in the short term.”But Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Mr Stef Blok does not think that nationalization is the way to go. Mr Blok emphasized that “The government must enforce the rules for safety and public health indiscriminately. The conclusion may be that a company can no longer operate profitably. Then it is only more complicated if the same government is a shareholder. How long do you keep adding extras, and is that better than spending on education or police officers?"Tata Steel IJmuiden is the largest CO2 emitter in the Netherlands. The company previously made agreements with the government to reduce emissions, but these do not go far enough for parliament. Research by the RIVM recently showed that residents living in the vicinity of Tata Steel are exposed to too high concentration of toxic substances.
