Trade union FNV is preparing for legal action against Tata Steel. Measures taken by the steel company for the merger of its European activities with the European steel branch of ThyssenKrupp amount to breach of contract, says Aad in ‘t Veld, the board of directors.

The offence is the intended sale of a Belgian galvanizing line that belongs to Tata Steel Netherlands. With the divestment, the Indian parent company wants to meet objections from the European Commission to the steel merger. This means that earlier promises about maintaining strategically important activities will be broken, according to FNV. If the divestment continues, the union will go to court.

The works council and management of Tata Steel Netherlands are also against the divestment, as was revealed earlier this week.