The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, largely focused on competitiveness and industry in her State of the Union address on Wednesday 13 September. Referring to the proposals launched in March on ‘net-zero emissions’ industry and the act on critical raw materials, she stressed the need to “finish this work”.
To move in this direction and maintain support for European industry, Ms von der Leyen has announced that “a series of Clean Transition Dialogues with industry” will be set up this month. The aim will be to support the relevant sectors in their development and decarbonisation.
As for access to critical raw materials, she indicated that the first meeting of the raw materials club would take place this year. This is very good news, according to the rapporteur on the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), Nicola Beer (Renew Europe, German).
Support for strategic industries also includes wind power, explained Ms von der Leyen: the Commission is to present a “European Wind Power package” (see other news).
Ms von der Leyen said that in order to maintain support for green industry, it is crucial for the co-legislators to agree “quickly” on the budget allocated to the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) (see EUROPE 13245/3). Her comments were supported by the co-rapporteur on the STEP Regulation, José Manuel Fernandes (EPP, Portuguese), who stressed the need to “secure adequate funding for technologies in strategic sectors”.
Among the other priorities she identified in her letter of intent to the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, Ursula von der Leyen also mentions the European defence industry, which needs to be strengthened. “We need European cooperation on research and development and on the industrial front”, the President told MEPs. She went on to say that the aim was to speed up equipment production and avoid bottlenecks, in addition to the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) (see EUROPE 13227/40).
Trade
Strengthening the EU’s competitiveness will not happen without opening up trade, the President also reiterated. The priority must be to diversify our trading partners to avoid dependency in critical sectors.
Ursula von der Leyen recalled the recent negotiations concluded with Chile, Kenya and New Zealand on trade agreements, and indicated her wish to complete discussions with Australia, Mercosur and Mexico before the end of the year. We will then have to turn to India and Indonesia, she added.
Read Ms von der Leyen’s speech: https://aeur.eu/f/8it
See her letter of intent: https://aeur.eu/f/8iu (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)