The European Commission is discussing, among other things, the concerns of both Dutch and European industry, says Winand Quaedvlieg, head of VNO-NCW in Brussels. He says there is a bad business climate and the competitiveness of European industry is deteriorating.
According to Quaedvlieg, Europe is “not attractive enough” for companies to come and stay, and Europe is finding it difficult to compete with other superpowers such as the United States, Japan and China.
To suggest
And so the European Commission has published four proposals that respond to this. For example, there is the Net Zero Industry Act, “and it’s about stimulating carbon-neutral industry in Europe,” says Quaedvlieg. “Also, there is a Critical Raw Materials Act, because Europe’s dependence on foreign raw materials is too great.”
Quaedvlieg says that the summit will also discuss the internal market, which has existed for 30 years, and which needs to be improved. “And finally, there is a plan to improve Europe’s long-term competitiveness.”
Inflation Reduction Act
But, says Quaedvlieg, the Net Zero Industry Act is particularly important, because it can easily be seen as Europe’s answer to the American Inflation Reduction Act. And more, he says. “It is also about how to stimulate low-carbon or CO2-neutral industry in Europe,” continues Quaedvlieg. “And this obviously fits into a great plan of the European Union that is already a few years old: the Green Deal”.
The Net Zero Industry Act is an important next step, says Quaedvlieg. Especially since Europe has made so many efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. “Now we also have to look at how to get enough more energy, and this is a plan that we as a European industry have been highlighting for a long time.”