Today marks the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration — the visionary proposal that placed coal and steel at the core of a unified Europe and laid the foundations for decades of peace, prosperity, and collaboration across the continent.
At EUROMETAL, we proudly reflect on the fact that our own roots are closely tied to this foundational moment. In the same year — 1950 — just months after Robert Schuman’s historic speech laid the foundation for peace through coal and steel cooperation, steel and metal stockholders came together in Paris to establish FIANATM – Fédération Internationale des Associations de Négociants en Aciers, Tubes et Métaux, on 7 December. Their vision was to unite national associations of steel, tube, and non-ferrous metals merchants to support industrial recovery, foster cross-border trade, and reinforce economic cooperation — the very principles that underpinned the European project.
In 1999, FIANATM merged with Brussels-based FENA, the Fédération Européenne des Négociants d’Aciers, to create EUROMETAL, the European Federation of Associations of Steel, Tube and Metal Merchants.
From the beginning, we have been part of Europe’s industrial backbone — and today, we continue to serve as the voice of steel distribution across the continent.
Our members — stockholders, service centers, and traders — are critical to the functioning of the EU internal market. We connect producers with end-users, ensure supply chain flexibility, and are actively supporting the green and digital transitions that will shape Europe’s next industrial era.
Seventy-five years after the Schuman Declaration, we remain convinced that the future of Europe depends not only on its ability to produce, but also on its ability to connect, distribute, and transform — fairly, efficiently, and sustainably.
At EUROMETAL, we honour the legacy of those who helped build post-war Europe. We are proud of our place in this history, and we are fully committed to helping shape its future — grounded in industrial strength, market openness, and shared prosperity.
