ArcelorMittal moves up to 5,600 jobs from Europe to India, hitting Asturias
ArcelorMittal shifts 5,600 roles from Europe to India, impacting Asturias. Analysis cites taxes, bureaucracy, and loss of industrial sovereignty as key drivers.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
ArcelorMittal shifts 5,600 jobs to India: the end of European steelmaking
When an Indian company acquired a European steelworks in 2006, the outcome was predictable: 5,600 high-skilled positions vanished from Asturias and other regions. The paradox is that while Europe imports cheap labor for services, it loses its own engineers and technicians who relocate to India.
The merger that should never have peine
Arcelor was born from the merger of Aceralia (Spain), Arbed (Luxembourg), and Usinor (France). The crown jewel, the former ENSIDESA (a state-owned steel company created under Franco), ended up in the hands of Lakshmi Mittal. The rest is history: a slow death. Since then, the company has divested in Europe while expanding capacity in Asia.
Why they leave: taxes, bureaucracy, and energy costs
Liberals blame tax pressure, bureaucracy, energy costs, and green regulations. Critics point to the sale of strategic assets. Both arguments hold weight: producing steel in Europe costs up to 30% more than in India, according to sector estimates. While the EU imposes CO2 levies and demands gender studies, India produces without these burdens. The result: 5,600 jobs moving away.
France reacts, Spain looks away
While Macron nationalizes Arcelor plants in France, the Spanish government turns a blind eye. The unanswered question is: what is the value of industrial sovereignty? Steelmaking is strategic: without steel, there are no ships, cars, or defense capabilities. Yet here, importing Indian steel is preferred over maintaining domestic industry.
What about national security?
Several analysts note that the steel industry is crucial for defense. Without it, Spain depends on third parties to manufacture armored vehicles, frigates, or submarines. But market ideology permits everything: if buying abroad is cheaper, so be it. Ironies of globalization.
The problem isn't that Mittal leaves; it's that he should never have owned a strategic industry. Now, under the guise of ecological transition, what remains is dismantled. Asturias will return to what it was before Franco: a land of miners without mines. At least, the new jobs will be in insect farms for vegetable burgers, which seems to be the trend.
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When an Indian company acquired a European steelworks in 2006, the outcome was predictable: 5,600 high-skilled positions vanished from Asturias and other regions. The paradox is that while Europe imports cheap labor for services, it loses its own engineers and technicians who relocate to India.
The merger that should never have peine
Arcelor was born from the merger of Aceralia (Spain), Arbed (Luxembourg), and Usinor (France). The crown jewel, the former ENSIDESA (a state-owned steel company created under Franco), ended up in the hands of Lakshmi Mittal. The rest is history: a slow death. Since then, the company has divested in Europe while expanding capacity in Asia.
Why they leave: taxes, bureaucracy, and energy costs
Liberals blame tax pressure, bureaucracy, energy costs, and green regulations. Critics point to the sale of strategic assets. Both arguments hold weight: producing steel in Europe costs up to 30% more than in India, according to sector estimates. While the EU imposes CO2 levies and demands gender studies, India produces without these burdens. The result: 5,600 jobs moving away.
France reacts, Spain looks away
While Macron nationalizes Arcelor plants in France, the Spanish government turns a blind eye. The unanswered question is: what is the value of industrial sovereignty? Steelmaking is strategic: without steel, there are no ships, cars, or defense capabilities. Yet here, importing Indian steel is preferred over maintaining domestic industry.
What about national security?
Several analysts note that the steel industry is crucial for defense. Without it, Spain depends on third parties to manufacture armored vehicles, frigates, or submarines. But market ideology permits everything: if buying abroad is cheaper, so be it. Ironies of globalization.
The problem isn't that Mittal leaves; it's that he should never have owned a strategic industry. Now, under the guise of ecological transition, what remains is dismantled. Asturias will return to what it was before Franco: a land of miners without mines. At least, the new jobs will be in insect farms for vegetable burgers, which seems to be the trend.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (113 replies).
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