With regard to the USA and China, the economic ministers of France, Italy and Germany are pushing for the defense of Europe’s independence as an economic power.
The economics ministers of Germany, France and Italy are insisting on a more effective European industrial policy in order to stand up to competition from the USA and China. At a three-way meeting in Meudon near Paris, Robert Habeck, his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire and the Italian minister Adolfo Urso spoke out in favor of more coordination in order to secure the EU’s strategic autonomy and defend Europe’s independence as an economic power.
Europe must counter American protectionism and Chinese dumping prices with simplified rules for its industry, less ideological ballast and more speed, especially in the area of environmental technology, said the Frenchman Le Maire. Fair competitive conditions for European companies are also necessary. He also called for preference to be given to products “Made in Europe” in public tenders – a move that Habeck and Urso do not support.
“It’s about the Union’s geopolitical ability to act,” said Habeck. Europe cannot just administer rules, but must be an economic policy actor. For a long time, the term industrial policy was frowned upon and the prevailing assumption was that the market would regulate everything. We see today that this is not the case and has probably never been the case.” Interventions are necessary against unfair competition and to protect critical infrastructure in the EU. As the Italian Minister Urso said, Europe must not become an open-air museum, but rather its autonomy secure and act as a producer community.
Source: Stern
