Opening her address, Judith Kirton-Darling paid tribute to outgoing UILM General Secretary Rocco Palombella for his longstanding commitment to European trade unionism and his role in building industriAll Europe. "Thank you for your years of solidarity, engagement and cooperation that underpin the European trade union movement, we look forward to working together with Davide Sperti"

Turning to the challenges facing Europe’s industrial workers, Judith Kirton-Darling warned that geopolitical instability, rising energy costs and growing global fragmentation are placing unprecedented pressure on industries, jobs and Europe’s social model.

“Workers are already paying the price,” she said, pointing to job insecurity, declining purchasing power and growing uncertainty. Europe cannot accept a path towards deindustrialisation and social decline and called for urgent collective action to safeguard industrial capacity and quality employment.

Worrying economic indicators include industrial capacity utilisation remaining below normal levels, weak demand, low investment and declining business confidence. Combined with inflationary pressures linked to rising energy and food prices, the situation is increasingly becoming a social crisis. More than 200,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost across Europe over the past year, with Germany, Italy and several Eastern European countries among the hardest hit.

The current challenges represent more than a cyclical downturn. “This is a structural turning point for the metal and automotive sectors,” said Judith Kirton-Darling calling for a new industrial strategy based on investment, fairness and worker participation.

Steel is the foundation of Europe’s industrial value chains and high energy costs, global overcapacity and the transition to low-carbon production are placing the sector under severe strain. The ILVA steelworks in Taranto are a symbol of the wider challenges facing European steel, underlining the need for coordinated investment, environmental responsibility and a commitment to maintaining industrial capacity.

IndustriAll Europe’s has played a key role in securing stronger European action for the steel industry, including contributions to the European Commission’s Steel and Metals Action Plan and new trade measures designed to protect European steel production.

In the automotive sector, the profound transformation is driven by electrification, digitalisation and intensified global competition. Stellantis for example shows the importance of ensuring that the transition to electric mobility creates quality jobs in Europe rather than triggering a race to the bottom on wages and working conditions. « We need stronger demand-side measures, public procurement policies and “Made in Europe” criteria to support domestic production and employment » highlighted Judith Kirton Darling.

Corporate restructuring strategies place the burden of adjustment on workers. In cases such as Electrolux, companies benefiting from skilled workers, public infrastructure and public support must demonstrate greater responsibility towards workers and regions.

This is why industriAll Europe will continue to mobilise on key demands: large-scale industrial investment, social conditionalities attached to public support, stronger protections for workers and a planned transition shaped through social dialogue.

“The future of Europe cannot be left to market forces alone,” said Judith Kirton-Darling. “A fair, sustainable and resilient Europe must be built on cooperation, solidarity and strong social rights.”