We, Renew Europe, want our Union to deliver on its promise of prosperity and opportunities for our fellow Europeans. We have made strides in making our continent more free, fair and green, but much more remains to be done.
We are convinced that Europe has everything it needs to become a global industrial leader, especially in green and digital technologies. Yet it also faces high energy prices and low levels of investment, which pose a twin risk of internal and external fragmentation.
The Russian aggression against Ukraine has shown us that our European way of life cannot be taken for granted. While we stand unwaveringly by the side of our Ukrainian friends and remain committed to rebuilding their homeland, we also need to protect our freedom and prosperity.
This is why Europe needs an urgent and ambitious plan for a ‘Made in Europe’ competitive, productive and innovative industry. Our proposals below would translate to many more jobs, faster green change and increased geopolitical influence.
We must improve the conditions for companies large and small to innovate, grow and thrive globally.
1. Reforms to jump-start the European economy: A European Clean Tech, Competitiveness and Innovation Act
While the EU can be proud of its single market, we must improve the conditions for companies, large and small, to innovate, grow and flourish globally.
- In addition to accelerating the deployment of sustainable energy, we call on the Commission to propose the European Clean Tech, Competitiveness and Innovation Act, which:
- While the EU can be proud of its single market, we must improve the conditions for companies, large and small, to innovate, grow and flourish globally.
- In addition to accelerating the deployment of sustainable energy, we call on the Commission to propose the European Clean Tech, Competitiveness and Innovation Act, which:
- To cut down on red tape and administrative burden, focusing on delivering solutions to our companies especially for SMEs and startups.
- Adopt state aid rules for companies producing clean technologies and energy.
- Introduce fast-track permitting for clean and renewable energy and for industrial projects of common European interest.
- Streamline the process of important projects of common European interest with adequate administrative resources.
- Guarantee cheap energy for our industries across the EU.
- Strengthen existing instruments for fair transition of carbon-intensive industries, as they are critical to fighting climate change.
- Facilitate private funding by meeting Capital Markets Union to allow our SMEs and startups to scale up.
- Set the right conditions to increase Europe’s global share of research and development spending and reach our target of 3 per cent of GDP.
- Create a European Innovation Council to develop breakthrough technologies.
- Provide a highly skilled workforce for our industry.
- Deepen the single market by fully implementing existing legislation and further harmonizing standards with the EU as well as with third countries.
We need to more quickly reduce our economic dependence on third countries, which make our companies and our economies vulnerable.
2. Investments that help our industry thrive: a European Sovereign Fund and the Reform Act
While the EU addresses, with unity, all the consequences of the war in Ukraine, we need to more quickly reduce our economic dependence on third countries, which make our companies and our economies vulnerable.
Apart from the new framework for raw materials, we also demand from the Commission the following:
- Create a European Sovereign Fund by revising the MFF and mobilizing private investment to enhance European strategic investment across the Union, such as the production of critical inputs, technologies and goods on our soil that are critical to the green and digital transition.
- Carry out a sovereignty test, screening both existing and upcoming European legislation and funding to demonstrate that they neither harm the EU’s ability to act autonomously, nor create new dependencies.
- Modernize the Stability and Growth Pact to encourage structural reforms and national investment with real added value to our open strategic autonomy in areas such as infrastructure, resources and technologies.
While the EU has to oppose protectionist measures, we would always like to promote an open economy with fair competition.
3. Initiative to create a global level playing field:
A new generation of participation in the World Act
While the EU has to oppose protectionist measures, we would always like to promote an open economy with fair competition.
- In addition to all the existing reforms undertaken during this mandate, especially on public procurement and foreign subsidies, we call on the Commission to:
- EU economic policy in relation to current trading partners to ensure we get the most for our industry exports and imports, while promoting our values and standards, at least promoting human rights and the Green Deal And make full use of political power.
- Fostering new economic partnerships with democracies so that we can together address climate change and the full consequences of Russian aggression.
- Ensure diversification of supply chains to Europe, particularly with regard to critical technologies and raw materials, based on a detailed assessment of current dependencies and alternative sources.
- Use all our trade policy tools to promote our prosperity and protect the single market from distortions from third countries.
- To promote rules-based trade, take recourse to dispute settlement mechanisms available at the WTO level, whenever necessary.
- Adopt a plan to increase the attractiveness of our continent for commercial projects.
- Create a truly European screening of the most sensitive foreign investments.
- We, at Renew Europe, believe that these initiatives taken together will drive the development of a competitive and innovative European industry for the 21st century. It will pave the way for a better future for Europeans that will be more prosperous and more sustainable.