Tata Steel has announced plans to cut as many as 3,000 jobs across its European business.

Around two-thirds of those are expected to be office-based roles but it insisted there will be no plant closures.

More than half of the planned job reductions are thought to be in the Netherlands.

It is part of Tata Steel’s programme focused on improving its financial performance and accelerating the company’s journey towards carbon-neutral steelmaking.

It also includes plans for efficiency gains by optimising production processes, supported by the application of big data and advanced analytics as well as the reduction of procurement costs through smarter sourcing and strengthening co-operation with companies within the Tata Steel Group.

Henrik Adam, CEO of Tata Steel in Europe said: “Today we are highlighting important proposals towards building a financially strong and sustainable European business.

“We plan to change how we work together to enable better cooperation and faster decision-making. This will help us become self-sustaining and cash positive in the face of unprecedented severe market conditions, enabling us to lead the way towards a carbon-neutral future.”

Last week, Chinese steelmaker Jingye signed a provisional deal to buy British Steel, after it went into  liquidation in May, helping safeguard up to 4,000 jobs.