The Management of ArcelorMittal, represented by Mr. Michel Wurth, President of ArcelorMittal  Luxembourg, Mr. Roland Bastian, Vice?President of ArcelorMittal Luxembourg and director of the  Belval plant, and by Mrs. Valérie Massin Vice?President of ArcelorMittal Luxembourg, was able to  describe in detail the complexity which industrial activity currently has to face. Confronted with the  rapid spread of the coronavirus, the Luxembourg sites of ArcelorMittal have put their production  activities on hold for a few days to define and introduce reinforced health measures in order to  allow their staff to resume activity in optimal protection conditions for everyone's health.  

In the current context, which still contains many unknowns, the precious support of the public  authorities and the coordination of the various economic actors are essential levers to promote a  gradual and effective resumption of activities, particularly in the industrial sector. As such, the  exchange of views with the Minister concluded that there is a need to support the steel industry in  Europe by reviving economic activity, strictly supervising imports in a context of increasing  overcapacity in the world and by adapting the rules of the emissions trading system in order not to  penalize steel European producers.  

Mr. Michel Wurth underlined: “ArcelorMittal Luxembourg expresses its gratitude to the government  for having been able, in this extraordinary situation, to implement an emergency action plan which  made it possible to mitigate the negative impact of the epidemic of Covid?19 on local companies.  The support given to the most affected among them and especially the partial unemployment  measures have given a valuable flexibility for these entities. In the weeks and months to come, it will  be necessary to continue this fundamental work and to know how to adapt to the consequences  that this crisis will continue to generate”.  

Roland Bastian, CEO of ArcelorMittal Beval, said: "The measures taken by ArcelorMittal and with the  help of public authorities allow us to operate our sites currently under acceptable conditions and  thus respond to customer requests. However, we will no doubt fall short of our financial and  production targets and we will have to fight hard to defend our positions on our markets. Concerted  and coordinated action by all the actors will be more than ever necessary to safeguard the interests  of the Luxembourg and European steel industry”.