Launch of EU industrial strategy – a step in the right direction

18 September 2017

With the announcement of a new industrial strategy in last week’s State of the European Union address, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has answered long-standing calls from the European Parliament, Council and industry representatives for a renewed commitment to European manufacturing at EU level. Today, the strategy was formally launched by Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, and Jyrki Katainen, Commission Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness.  

By tying together the multiple policy strands that impact on manufacturing investment, the strategy – as detailed in the Communciation ‘Investing in a smart, innovative and sustainable industry: A renewed EU Industrial Policy Strategy’ – is a welcome first step towards a truly holistic approach at European level. By underlining the importance of digitisation to the future of EU manufacturing, while acknowledging where improvements are necessary in areas such as governance, infrastructure, investment and innovation support, it provides the foundation for a policy which delivers real European added value for strengthening the EU’s industrial base.

Orgalime has long advocated precisely this kind of joined-up approach to policy in support of European manufacturing. As Adrian Harris, Director General of Orgalime, put it in a press release published last week: “If policymakers are to put in place a framework that enables manufacturing firms to grow their business and create jobs, they need to connect the dots between the many different policy areas impacting the sector. This Communication is a step in the right direction.”