Addressing the members of industriAll Europe’s Executive Committee today, Commissioner Breton expressed confidence in the capacity of European industry to emerge stronger and more resilient from the current crisis.

To achieve this, lessons must be drawn from the crisis, stressed the Commissioner. Several essential pre-conditions for a sustainable recovery are already evident: Europe’s strategic independence, a well-functioning internal market, accompanying Europe’s workforce through the green and digital transition through skills development, differentiated strategies for each industrial ecosystem that consider specific challenges as well as co-designing these strategies in a broad and inclusive dialogue with stakeholders, including trade unions. Thierry Breton confirmed his commitment that no worker and no region should be left behind.

During the debate, members of the industriAll Europe Executive Committee expressed their concern about the fragility of Europe’s industrial value chains that have been exposed by the crisis and the new and urgent need for strategic independence. They also highlighted the need to bridge Europe’s widening regional imbalances and the importance of the social dimension in managing the green and digital transitions.

In conclusion, the Commissioner referred to the unprecedented level of funding that EU Member States, the EU Commission and the EU Parliament have agreed on to ensure recovery. It is in all our interests and in the interest of future generations that these funds are spent wisely.

Contact: Andrea Husen-Bradley (press and communication)