European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager faced strong criticism in the European Parliament over the lack of ambition in the update of the industrial strategy, during a plenary debate on Tuesday 18 May.
MEPs reiterated and amplified the criticisms made in a previous exchange with Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton (see EUROPE 12718/16). For Christian Ehler (EPP, Germany), the work is incomplete, as the microeconomic analysis of the Commission’s systems covers only six sectors out of 14. Above all, it is necessary to develop ecosystem strategies by ecosystem, he said.
Tackling unfair competition more effectively
Italian MEP Carlo Calenda, speaking on behalf of the S&D group, said the revised strategy lacked “operational” measures at a time when Europe’s industrial and economic fabric has been weakened by the Covid-19 pandemic. The MEP regretted the lack of “incisiveness” to fight unfair practices in the EU’s internal market.
Following him, Christophe Grudler (Renew Europe, France) regretted that “this communication is not more aggressive” and “does not propose ambitious reforms of structural policies, such as competition rules”. “Let’s not be afraid to talk about strategic autonomy”, he said, while Ms Vestager is more inclined to defend free trade. Italian MEP Marco Zanni, on behalf of the Identity and Democracy group, called for an end to the “taboo” of European “protectionism” against China.
On the contrary, Grzegorz Tobiszowski (ECR, Poland) expressed reservations about too much European action to support the industry. In the long term, he said, these changes could lead to increased disparities between Member States.
Call for a post-carbon ECSC
Damien Carême (Greens/EFA, France) pointed to the lack of targets for reducing polluting emissions from the industrial sector, deploring a communication that “rings hollow” by compiling “measures already planned” and that merely “adds new evaluation reports to evaluation reports”.
The MEP criticised the use of industrial alliances as a “political abdication” to industrial interests. The Commission should draw inspiration from the European Coal and Steel Community treaties to create “a post-carbon European Community”, he argued.
Marc Botenga (Belgian), on behalf of The Left group, strongly criticised the European Commission’s approach, which is reduced to a “cash dispenser”. In his view, large companies should serve the public good. He also called for the lifting of patents in the field of Covid-19 vaccines (see other news).
Ms Vestager responded to criticisms against her by reading out a passage from the Commission’s communication (p. 5) which highlights the role of business in shaping the European strategy to achieve “sustainable competitiveness”. The future must be determined by new, “agile” forms of public-private partnership to accelerate innovation, she stressed. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)