Piombino is also included in the sales package that ArcelorMittal presented to the EU Commission to respond to the concerns raised by Brussels in an antitrust key. as part of the ongoing review of the Ilva acquisition. Indeed, according to the EU Antitrust, the Indian group should also sell the Piombino plant to avoid reducing competition and driving up prices. The proposed disposal package, reads a note, therefore includes the following assets: ArcelorMittal Piombino, the company's only galvanized steel plant in Italy; ArcelorMittal Galati, Romania; ArcelorMittal Skopje, Macedonia; ArcelorMittal Ostrava, Czech Republic; ArcelorMittal Dudelange, Luxembourg; galvanizing lines 4 and 5 in Flemalle; hot pickling, cold pickling, cold rolling and tinplate lines in Tilleur, all in Liège, Belgium.
“The proposal to sell these assets remains subject to final review and approval by the Commission as well as the conclusion of the information and consultation processes with local and European works councils. Any sales will be conditional on the completion of the acquisition of Ilva by ArcelorMittal", specifies the note adding that the Commission "should reach a final decision on the case by May 23".
The negotiation for the sale of Ilva to ArcelorMittal has been going on for months and this of the antitrust procedure is one of the last obstacles to overcome: the Indian company is also working to respond to requests made by the government through the decree on the environment. Even then the solution should arrive by the end of May, even if the unions are pushing for a faster agreement. The game was about to close in early 2018, but then it was decided to postpone it until after the elections, so it will be one of the first hot dossiers of the new government about to take office. Already in 2017 ArcelorMittal announced investments of over 2 billion and a plan which minimizes redundancies and confirm employee salaries.
