Brussels, 23/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - At the Competitiveness Council which met on Thursday 25 September, the European industry ministers agreed on orientations for the systematic inclusion of questions with a bearing on industrial competitiveness in all relevant areas of action of the EU - environment, climate, energy, trade, competition, state aid and regional policy - with a view to reinforcing the industrial base of the European economy. Extremely detailed conclusions, adopted by the Council on Thursday, mark out the path for the Commission and member states to follow to ensure that they strive to take account at all times of industrial competitiveness-related aspects in the various European policy areas.
On Thursday, the industry ministers also reiterated their support for the strategy presented by the Commission earlier this year to reinforce the industrial base of the EU, baptised the strategy for “industrial renaissance” and which aims to stem the (relative) industrial decline of the EU, bringing the share of the manufacturing sector in EU GDP to 20% by 2020. During the debate, several member states however expressed misgivings over the idea of making this target binding, Industry Commissioner Ferdinando Nelli Feroci explained. Hence the “convoluted wording” which features in the Council's conclusions, in which the EU28 simply “note with interest” the Commission's intentions of raising industry's share of GDP to 20% by 2020. “I told the delegations that this objective should be seen as an aspiration, not a constraint”, Nelli Feroci went on to explain.
Competitiveness Council wants to be closely involved in Juncker's investment plan. The ministers also held an exchange of views on the investment plan put forward by the future President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. “We feel that we need to get down to work on this plan within several configurations of the Council, including the Competitiveness Council and not just the Ecofin Council. Indeed, we must agree on a cross-cutting and integrated approach to this plan. It will be the job of the future Commissioner for Industry to fill in the details of this plan”, summed up the Italian Secretary of State for European Affairs, Sandro Gozi, after the meeting. “As Presidency, we have reiterated the very great importance we attach to this plan. What is new about this plan is that it brings together private and public resources, which generates a lot of expectations. We anticipate in-depth discussions with President Juncker at the European Council of December”, Gozi concluded (our translation throughout). (EH)