The need to draft a new European Industrial policy was highlighted during the first day of the informal Competitiveness ministerial council meeting, organised by the Ministry for Development and Competitiveness, in the context of the Greek presidency of the Council of the EU.

More than 20 Ministers and deputy ministers from the 28 EU Member-States, high ranking European Commission officials as well as representatives of European stakeholders of the Industry contributed to the meeting.

Daniel Calleja, Director General of DG Enterprise and Industry, Markus J. Beyrer, Director General of BUSINESSEUROPE, Dimitris Daskalopoulos, president of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises addressed the council on the topic of “Drivers for Industrial Competitiveness”.

During the Informal Ministerial Meeting, two distinct aspects were thoroughly discussed as core challenges of the European Industry:

a) innovation and key enabling Technologies of general application, focusing on bridging the “innovation gap” and b) the competitiveness of energy-intensive industries, with emphasis on mitigating the grim consequences of the rise in energy cost. Relevant to these were the contributions of Hubert Mandery, Director General of the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), and Adrian Harris, Director General of the European Engineering Industries’ Association (Orgalime).

The working lunch, upon the recommendation of Italian Development Minister Frederica Guidi, was devoted to the elaboration of the mechanisms that can secure the most effective incorporation of Industrial Competitiveness in all relevant policy sectors on the European level.

Greek Development and Competitiveness minister, Kostas Hatzidakis, pointed out that: “the Greek Presidency has set as a priority to bring Industrial Policy at the top of the agenda of European public debate. The Competitiveness Council in March, the Spring European Council, today’s informal Competitiveness Council as well as a series of actions, upon initiative of the Ministry for Development and Competitiveness were focused on Industry and its main challenges. The European Union neglected Industry and is now paying the cost: de-industrialisation, fewer jobs, fewer investments, competitiveness deficit. The next European Commission has to work in a coordinated and horizontal way, mainstreaming its policies with the view to reviving European Industry, lifting bureaucratic barriers, improving legislation. The Greek Presidency is laying the foundations and I’m certain this policy will definitely continue in this light.”