Several members of the Industrial Forum welcomed the recent measures announced by the European Commission to tackle the energy crisis on Wednesday 21 September.
The plenary session of the fifth Industrial Forum was dedicated to the current energy crisis in Europe and the various measures announced by the European Commission to limit its impact on EU industry and SMEs. These included a coordinated reduction in electricity consumption, a cap on the inframarginal income of electricity suppliers and a solidarity contribution on the additional profits of fossil fuel companies.
Thus, the Forum members indicated that these measures should be implemented as soon as possible in order to quickly reach the targeted beneficiaries, namely households and businesses. Many stressed the social dimension of the energy crisis, which must be addressed as a priority by the European Union. Another point of attention: several members insisted on the risk of fragmentation of the single market. The next meeting of the Forum is scheduled for 8 November. It will be held with young Europeans in the framework of the European Year of Youth.
The Industrial Forum was set up by the renewed Industrial Strategy to help the European Commission implement European policies with a greater focus on the views of industry. Its role is also to facilitate coordination between industries and Member States in the post-pandemic recovery (see EUROPE 12443/7). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)