#Industry4Europe: Industry calls for ‘concrete plan to give clear signal that Europe is open for investment’

Photo: Markus Beyrer, director-general of BusinessEurope, Minister Chris Cardona and Dr. Hariolf Kottmann, president of Cefic (CEO, Clariant)

Dr Hariolf Kottmann, president of Cefic and CEO, Clariant, addressed European competitiveness ministers in Brussels. Kottman raised his concern about Europe maintaining its position as a major world industrial power, when other global regions are growing faster, offering cheaper raw materials and feedstock and aggressively promoting their own industry.

In a joint industry declaration last week - that now counts more than 100 participating industry sectors – European industries have called for a clear signal from EU lawmakers to provide favourable conditions to support investment in Europe.

Europe’s industries urgently need a clear signal from EU lawmakers, with favourable conditions to repatriate investment. As a result of yesterday’s meeting (20 February) ministers have now decided to work on Council Conclusions for its May meeting to encourage the European Commission to draft a new EU industrial policy.

We interviewed Dr Hariolf Kottmann:

You've just come out of the Competitiveness Council where European Ministers from the EU's 28 countries carry out a regular 'check-up' on how the EU is performing. What was your message to ministers today?

Today we want to tell Europe’s top decision-makers that we are ready to commit to Europe – but we ask them in return if they are ready to commit to promoting manufacturing. The reality is that companies no longer look at Europe as an attractive destination for investment and Europe is slowly losing its place as a world industrial power. If the EU doesn’t take concrete steps to entice European industries to invest in Europe, it’s going to face serious economic consequences in the years to come. Industry and manufacturing are the backbone of the European economy. This is a challenge Europe has to meet.

The industrial strategy initiative is aimed at the European level, but your strategy won't be delivered unless every country is on board. Was your initiative welcomed by the ministers present?

I hope that today the ministers not only recognized the logic of what we are trying to tell them, but see also that since most EU companies are local SMEs, a Europe-wide plan that can help member states to get behind it, is badly needed. With political will at the highest European level, member states will have a better chance of getting behind a vision for their industries in the context of Europe.

Europe's manufacturers are undoubtedly very important in delivering jobs and growth in Europe. What is the most urgent question that needs to be addressed without delay?

The Commission should immediately make good on their promise to step up their efforts and deliver a concrete plan with timeline that gives European companies the clear signal that Europe is open for investment. European industries need regulatory certainty, as well as the assurance that if they invest here there will be a return on that investment. Another step is to be more ambitious when investing in innovation – that is Europe’s strength and we must play to it. Industry is ready to play its part in helping the Commission deliver.

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