Prime Minister Mark Rutte wants simpler subsidy regulations to make Europe’s climate transition less bureaucratic. He said it yesterday in an interview with the president Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission, and therefore it will also be his commitment for the next EU summit on 9 and 10 February.
The EU summit will mainly be about migration and competition between European businesses and countries like China and the US, according to Ria Cats, FD’s Brussels correspondent. “At that summit, they are studying how to address the issue, and Rutte opposes the creation of new European money boxes,” says Cats. “We’ve known that for a long time, and the demand for him now is that he should be seen differently.”
Rutte wants to look more at the United States and how they approach supporting the business community. “The American way of supporting the business community is primarily focused on tax credits,” says Cats. «It is much simpler than in Europe. Grants simply mean more paperwork. So he wants to see how it can be done faster and easier, so that the corporate supplier can get access to money quicker so they can still go green, digitize, modernize and just participate in the tide of nations.’
Chance of success
It remains to be seen what Von der Leyen will do with Rutte’s appeal. “But that’s mostly about what Rutte wants,” Cats points out. ‘Tax cuts and so on are national issues, and Europe is not concerned with that. So he will really have to organize it himself.’
The European Commission also wants to relax the rules for short-term state aid, and while Rutte may be interested in this, he is not expecting extra money from Europe. “He wants targeted support, so for areas where we’re lagging behind,” Cats continues. ‘The battery industry, the development of electric cars, the sectors focused on greening and digitization. But Von der Leyen stresses that there must be a level playing field in Europe and that all countries must be able to support their industry equally.’
According to Cats, this is currently difficult due to differences in prosperity across EU countries. “So Von der Leyen wants to set up a fund again, and Rutte doesn’t feel like it”, he concludes. “He just doesn’t want new money.
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
