More than 300 heads of European industrial enterprises gathered at the French Ministry of the Economy, at the initiative of the Minister for Industry, Sébastien Martin, to call for the introduction of an ambitious policy to support European manufacturers. This was reported by Eurometal.
The main focus of the meeting was a discussion of the draft bill on the Industrial Accelerator (Industrial Accelerator Act, IAA), which provides for the introduction of requirements regarding the proportion of European components in strategic sectors and public procurement.
Sébastien Martin, French Minister for Industry: “The ‘Made in Europe’ label should mean ‘Made in Europe’, not ‘Made in the world’. This is not about closing the European market, but about creating the conditions for fair competition and building partnerships with countries that adhere to similar rules.”
The initiative has been backed by over 600 industry leaders and companies, including France Industrie, Dassault Aviation, ArcelorMittal, Acerinox, Ferroglobe, Orano, Enedis and the French automotive platform PFA.
France has stated its readiness to oppose any relaxation of the IAA’s industrial requirements. At the same time, Martin cautioned that an excessive expansion of the list of sectors could risk losing political support from a number of EU countries. At present, there are positive developments on this issue from Germany, whilst Italy fully supports Paris’s position.
Timetable for the adoption and implementation of the initiative:
- End of 2026: adoption of the bill by the European Parliament.
- First half of 2027: an agreement is reached as part of the tripartite consultations.
- No later than 2028: the legislative provisions are to come into full force.
As reported by GMK Center, Spain put forward a proposal aimed at resolving the differences between France and Germany over the new criteria for the ‘Made in the EU’ label. Paris and Berlin cannot agree on the extent to which goods from non-EU countries should be eligible for European subsidies. The French side is insisting on stricter restrictions, focusing exclusively on the bloc’s 27 member states. Germany, for its part, fears that such an approach would undermine the principles of free trade.
