European Union, 11 March 2020 – Industry4Europe, a coalition of 154 sector Associations representing the diversity of the EU’s industrial base, is pleased to receive the publication by the European Commission of its much-awaited New Industrial Strategy for Europe.

The European Commission has presented an EU Industrial Strategy that recognises industry as "central to Europe’s future progress and prosperity” and which announces a comprehensive set of measures that aim at "maintaining European industry’s global competitiveness and a level playing field, at home and globally, making Europe climate-neutral by 2050 and shaping Europe’s digital future”.

Launched three years ago, the Industry4Europe coalition has consistently called on the European Institutions to develop an ambitious EU industrial strategy that helps Europe remain a hub for a leading, smart, innovative and sustainable industry, and that provides quality jobs and benefits all Europeans and future generations.

Last 26 November, the Coalition published its Joint Paper ‘A long-term strategy for Europe’s industrial future: from words to action’ in which it presented concrete industrial policy proposals in seven priority fields; business-friendly policy environment, sustainability at business core, upgraded skills and training, enhanced research and innovation, investment and improved access to finance, reinforcement of the European Single Market and strengthened trade and international market access.

The sector Associations of the Coalition will now carefully review and assess all individual measures proposed by the European Commission. Industry4Europe wants to thank the Commission for its hard work and for identifying 7 main pillars of the Industrial Strategy that echo those recommended by the Coalition.

From a governance perspective, the Coalition looks forward to learning more about the future set-up of the "inclusive and open Industrial Forum” bringing together industry, Member States and EU Institutions. The suggestion by the Commission of a "standing progress point at the Competitiveness Council and at the European Parliament” is of great importance and reflects a request from the Coalition in its previous Joint Paper on Governance.

"We have always said that the European Union needs an ambitious industrial strategy to compete with other global regions that have already put industry at the very top of their political agenda. This new EU Industrial Strategy is an important step in that direction”, said Philippe Citroën, Coordinator of the Industry4Europe coalition. "It is now essential to turn this strategy into concrete actions and to maintain industry at the top of the EU political agenda in the coming years”.

The Industry4Europe coalition very much looks forward to further working with all policymakers – notably the Executive Vice-Presidents Valdis Dombrovskis and Margrethe Vestager and Commissioner Thierry Breton – with the aim to cooperate in making the industrial strategy a success.