CBM urges UK-EU agreement to protect aluminium, steel and automotive supply chains

The Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM) has called for closer UK-EU relations, warning that proposed European industrial policies could affect British manufacturers supplying the aluminium, steel and automotive industries.

Stephen Morley, CBM President and Chair of the Euroforge Automotive Sector, made the call at the organisation's autumn meeting in Munich. He said stronger cooperation between the UK and EU was important for protecting manufacturing jobs, investment and cross-border supply chains.

He stated, “We need to protect British industry, but we also need to recognise that the UK and European automotive sectors are deeply connected. What damages one part of the supply chain will inevitably affect the other.”

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The concerns come as the European Union advances its proposed Industrial Accelerator Act, published by the European Commission on March 4, 2026. The proposal aims to strengthen European industrial capacity and accelerate decarbonisation, with planned measures including 'Made in EU' and low-carbon requirements for selected public procurement and public-support schemes. The measures cover strategic sectors such as aluminium, steel, automotive and net-zero technologies.

Morley said, “CBM unanimously supports an EU reset, and the UK should be going all out to secure an agreement, whatever practical form it ultimately takes. This is about jobs, investment, competitiveness and the future of manufacturing on both sides of the Channel.”

He also stated that the UK should engage with the EU as the new industrial framework develops, rather than assume existing trade arrangements will automatically protect British manufacturers under every new industrial support scheme. 

CBM is concerned about the implications for downstream manufacturers, including metalformers, component makers and small and medium-sized enterprises supplying European customers. It has called for greater clarity on Rules of Origin, carbon-border measures, steel trade arrangements and automotive supply-chain requirements, including how UK-origin materials and components will be treated.

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The organisation also highlighted the importance of integrated UK-EU supply chains, in which manufacturers on both sides depend on the movement of materials and components across borders. Morley warned that treating British suppliers as external manufacturers under new industrial measures could affect established supply-chain relationships.

He added, “Domestic companies supply European customers, support European jobs and form part of the manufacturing capacity on which both economies depend. Excluding them from opportunities because of an unresolved political relationship would make little industrial sense.”

Recent reports have indicated that France and Germany are moving toward a compromise that could allow the UK to participate in relevant aspects of the EU's automotive arrangements. However, any such participation remains subject to conditions, further negotiations and approval.

The issue is also important for the aluminium processing industry. Paul Whitehouse, Managing Director of Steel & Alloy Services, a steel and aluminium processing specialist and stockholder based in West Bromwich, supported the CBM's call for a practical approach to UK-EU relations.

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Whitehouse said integrated European supply chains support jobs, investment and industrial competitiveness and explained, “They rely on the efficient movement of materials and components across borders, and any barriers that disrupt these established networks can have significant consequences for both British and European industry.”

The CBM said it would continue working with the UK government and European partners to seek arrangements that strengthen industrial cooperation and provide greater certainty for manufacturers.

The organisation represents more than 200 members involved in manufacturing fasteners, forgings, pressings, cold-rolled products and sheet metal products. Collectively, its members employ 75,000 people and supply components to sectors including automotive, aerospace, defence, energy and nuclear.

The proposed Industrial Accelerator Act remains subject to the EU legislative process. Any provisions concerning UK participation, reciprocity or alignment are still under discussion and have not yet been formally agreed.