On Thursday 30 November during the first day of the Competitiveness Council, the member state adopted conclusions in which they called on the European Commission to continue the elaboration of a global industrial strategy for the Union up to 2030 and beyond. They also called for this strategy to contain medium and long-term objectives for industry, together with an action plan with concrete measures. During the day, the member states and representatives from industry held lengthy discussions of their vision for the industrial strategy on the basis of a detailed report presented by the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
During the speeches made during the debate on the industrial policy strategy, the member states welcomed the European Commission communication that sought to provide a “renewed strategy”. They considered it as a “first step… and strong signal” on which they needed to begin building a “comprehensive” strategy for 2030 and beyond. The conclusions adopted have previously been outlined by EUROPE (EUROPE 11910).
The Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU presented a 20-page report that was sometimes tautological but based on the contribution by the member states. It includes a range of long-term strategic measures for: completing the single market for goods and services, the single digital market and the single energy market; supporting the digital transformation as a means of carrying out the 4th Industrial Revolution by more swiftly distributing “breakthrough” technology, new “innovative economic models”; promoting an international trade framework that allows for “fair competition” and enables industry in the Union to take part in the global value chains, whilst attracting foreign investment; focusing innovation policy and investment on the transition to sustainable technologies by creating synergies; implementing EU decisions and commitments in the fight against climate change and energy; continuing with the elaboration and implementation of the Union industrial strategy inclusively and with all the different actors concerned - this implementation should be the subject of regular follow-up during Competitiveness Council sessions and European Council Spring Summits due to begin in 2018. The report proposes the introduction of possible adaptations in the strategy on the basis of the changing industrial situation in Europe. The full report can be seen at the following link: http://bit.ly/2ivrWz3.
Heavy going debate. During the talks, the majority of member state welcomed the communication, which even surprised the Commissioner for the Internal Market and Industry, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, as she explained during the press conference. The ideas and suggestions were manifold and many delegations insisted on several points, digitalisation, unfair international competition, barriers within the internal market and the role of SMEs. Belgium developed a proposal for regional “clusters”. Some member states referred to a policy of “positive discrimination” for high added value sectors, mentioning artificial intelligence and automatic vehicles. Poland was annoyed by a reactive and non-proactive policy carried out by the European level. Luxembourg warned about the role played by the roundtable of industrial leaders, which ought to be restricted to operational aspects, whilst policy is covered by the Competitiveness Council.
Ms Bienkowska kicks into touch. During a press conference, the Commissioner explained that the question of presenting a holistic industrial strategy would be debated as part of the roundtable of industrial leaders. According to one European source close to the dossier, the Commission considers that the member states should, first of all, focus on sectoral action, such as the car industry. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)