Post COVID19 new industrial strategy for Europe

On 10 March, the European Commission presented a New Industrial Strategy for Europe which Glass for Europe welcomed as a promising start to operationalize the carbon-neutrality agenda. Sadly, it became immediately clear that the strategy was outdated right after seeing the light. Without further delay, the EU should start considering to design an efficient and climate-compatible post crisis recovery package to relaunch the economy.

As stated in the position paper Glass for Europe releases today, a revisited European Industrial Strategy post COVID19 should prioritize the most impacted industries and value chains and support the transition to a climate-neutral Europe. The European Union should not abandon its goals of becoming a climate-neutral continent by 2050 thanks to an EU industrial base “becoming greener and more digital, while remaining competitive on global stage”. To achieve this ambitious goal, a recovery programme is urgent and must be fit for purpose. The adequate sequencing of concrete actions could trigger the virtuous cycle of decarbonisation the EU needs to decarbonise both its economy and society. Delivering a massive renovation of ageing buildings, supporting the clean mobility transition and increasing the share of solar energy are the objectives to keep in mind while reviewing the new EU industrial strategy.

The European flat glass industry is fully committed to produce the non-substituable materials indispensable for Europe to meet its ambition. Glass for Europe, via its President Philippe Bastien, signed – together with other leaders of big companies and personalities from EU institutions, business associations, Trade Unions, NGOs, think tanks – the call for the deployment of “Green Recovery Investment Packages ”  that should act “as accelerators of the transition towards climate neutrality and healthy ecosystems”.

Read the position paper A revisit of ‘The new industrial strategy for Europe’ is urgently needed after the COVID19 outbreak

Read the call for mobilisation #Greenrecovery