Tying public money to European production – this is what EU Industry Commissioner Séjourné is calling for. Business and union leaders would be there.
dpa | EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné wants to link the allocation of European public money to companies to “Made in Europe”. “Whenever European public money is used, it must contribute to European production and quality jobs,” writes Séjourné in one Guest article that appeared in several European media, in Germany Handelsblatt.
Companies that want to benefit from a public tender, direct state aid or other form of financial support would have to “produce a significant part of their production on European soil”.
The same logic should be applied to foreign direct investment. “We must once and for all establish a real European preference in our most strategic sectors.”
Séjourné points out that many economic powers give priority to their own strategic sectors. US President Donald Trump is pursuing one „America first“-Politik and has imposed tariffs on goods from many countries.
Another special summit
Séjourné’s contribution was co-signed by more than 1,000 European business and trade union leaders. From Germany, for example, from Markus Heyn, Managing Director at Bosch, Marie Jaroni, CEO of Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, and Michael Brecht, Head of the General Works Council at Daimler Truck.
Die The European Union wants to strengthen the competitiveness of its member states. This is what a special summit on February 12th will be about. European leaders will discuss, among other things, strengthening the internal market and the EU’s position in the face of global trade imbalances economic dependencies speak.
Europe must strengthen its trade, but also “protect its companies from unfair competition through targeted protection in strategic sectors,” wrote Council President António Costa in the invitation. There is a need for “rules that allow Europe to be favored in some strategic areas,” as well as a “systematic approach to reducing risks in the economy.”
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