The Union’s economic and commercial security will be one of the main issues for the Commission and the Council in the coming months and between now and the end of this process, in line with the recent announcements by the various legislators.
Faced with unfair competition from China (see EUROPE 13308/20) and the economic shock of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this has become a major issue for the EU.
The Commission intends to present a major package of measures on the Union’s economic security on 24 January, including a regulation on the examination of foreign direct investments (FDI), an initiative on outward investment, and several guidance papers on export controls and dual-use research (military and civilian).
For the EU and its representatives, this change in European trade policy is justified in particular by the need to limit the EU’s dependence on its problematic partners, such as Russia and China, as well as the importance of securing a sustainable and solid supply of the materials the EU needs to ensure its green and digital transition: lithium and critical raw materials, in particular (see EUROPE 13263/2).
This objective of making the Union less subject to external influences is also reflected in the programme of the Belgian Presidency of the Council, which took office on 1 January.
Belgium intends to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness by “taking care of our internal market”, explained Mr van de Voorde, the Belgian ambassador to the EU, considering that it was “probably the most important tool we have to develop our Union”.
The College of Commissioners also plans to present a report on the single market and European competitiveness on 16 January.
See the agenda of the College of Commissioners: https://aeur.eu/f/aae
See the Belgian Presidency programme: https://aeur.eu/f/a4i (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)