Nearly half of EU steel production now aligned with LESS standard

The Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of Europe’s green industrial transition. With the recent accession of ArcelorMittal entities in Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Spain—joining ArcelorMittal Germany—and the German Steel Association (Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl, WV Stahl) joining as an associated member, LESS now represents almost 45% of the EU’s crude steel production.

This marks a significant milestone for the Brussels-based non-profit, which aims to establish a unified, transparent, and technology-neutral framework for labelling and verifying low-emission steel products across Europe. Originally launched in autumn 2024 by 21 founding members from the German steel industry, LESS has quickly grown into a Europe-wide initiative aligned with climate goals and market needs.

At its core, LESS provides a structured system for assessing both the carbon footprint and scrap content of steel products. Built on international standards such as the GHG Protocol and ISO 14067, the system enables producers to demonstrate their decarbonisation efforts transparently and comparably—an increasingly critical factor as climate-aligned procurement becomes more prominent in both public and private sectors.

Driving Market Transformation Through Standardization

The growing membership reflects a shared recognition across the industry: clear, credible standards are essential to creating lead markets for green steel and building investor and customer confidence.

“By bringing more of our European sites into LESS, we are moving further towards an industry-wide adoption of a low-emissions steel standard that provides customers with information they need for their climate strategies,” said Dr. Frederik Van De Velde, CEO of ArcelorMittal Belgium, who has also joined the LESS Board of Directors. He added that such a standard will be “essential to scaling up both public and private demand for these products.”

LESS allows producers to track progress across various stages of steel production, from integrated blast furnaces to electric arc furnaces, while applying consistent criteria regardless of technology. The system is designed to work with existing European policy instruments and aligns closely with the EU’s broader decarbonisation agenda, including the Green Deal and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

Building Trust in “Clean Steel Made in Europe”

The German Steel Association, which played a key role in launching LESS, continues to back the initiative—now as an associated member. “Establishing lead markets for clean steel ‘Made in Europe’ is essential to ensuring a successful net-zero transition of the steel industry. Achieving this goal requires a transparent and robust standard such as LESS,” said Kerstin Maria Rippel, Director General of WV Stahl.

LESS also supports industrial buyers and policymakers by offering a common reference for low-emission procurement. This helps reduce greenwashing risks and provides clarity in a fast-changing regulatory environment. It’s not only about accountability—it’s about enabling change at scale.

Dr. Carmen Ostwald, Secretary General of LESS, welcomed the new members as a sign of growing momentum: “With nearly 45% of EU steel production now represented, LESS is becoming a cornerstone of Europe’s green steel transition.”

From Stakeholder Dialogue to Industry Standard

LESS was born from a multi-stakeholder process initiated by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, which aimed to identify practical tools for enabling green lead markets. The result was a voluntary, yet rigorous certification system designed to be compatible with EU-wide implementation.

As the green transition accelerates, LESS is positioning itself not just as a label, but as a tool for transformation—helping producers, buyers, and policymakers align their efforts on a credible path to low-emission steel. With membership growing and industrial backing deepening, LESS is no longer just an initiative—it’s becoming the European benchmark for sustainable steel.

Source and Photo: LESS aisbl