Don't turn Europe into an open-air museum of former industrial glory

The EPP Group did not support a Resolution of the European Parliament supposedly dealing with industrial competitiveness, trade and jobs today, as the text failed to address the challenges European industry faces.

Christian Ehler MEP, EPP Group Spokesman on Industry, explained: "This text simply fails to address the real needs of European industry. Our industrial competitiveness will only be enhanced if we set the right framework conditions for the European economy’s transformation process towards carbon neutrality. For too long, this has been neglected. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, this is finally back on the political agenda but not everyone has understood the dramatic situation and the global challenges posed by the United States and likewise by China. The Green Deal needs to include a deal component to create a business case for the industrial transformation. Regulation alone won't do it, otherwise deindustrialisation will be the result. I don't want Europe to turn into an open-air museum of former industrial glory. With this Resolution, the European Parliament could have taken the lead by formulating an answer on how to achieve our climate objectives with our industry, but it ended as a meaningless exercise."

"We want Europe to clearly commit to the ratification of trade agreements, including with Mercosur, simplified state aid decision-making processes and accelerated approval processes for investments rather than additional burdens on businesses. Industrial competitiveness, creating and securing jobs and facilitating trade are at the very heart of the EPP Group. This is exactly why we could not support the Christmas tree compromise text parts that Renew, the Socialists and the Greens agreed on. Europe needs to understand that a ‘carry on’ approach will not suffice. It is particularly worrying that Renew Europe decided to blindly follow the Socialists and the Greens on today's Resolution. Protectionism is the totally wrong answer to Europe's needs and the EPP Group will continue to fight for open markets and multilateral trade agreements", Ehler added.