Displaying items by tag: Industry4Europe

On 10 March 2020, the European Commission presented its strategy in one of its key priority areas: the New Industrial Strategy, SME strategy and several initiatives to improve the functioning of the Single Market. Below is a summary of the key elements of relevance to the recreational boating industry. EBI will be engaging with the EU institutions to ensure inclusion of the boating sector in the implementation of the strategy.

Industrial Strategy

The main objectives of the strategy are to address the environmental transition, which links it to the European Green deal, and digitalisation. It has a high level of ambition to maintain and grow Europe's industrial leadership. A number of initiatives are announced:

• Launch of European Clean Hydrogen Alliance to accelerate decarbonisation of industry
• Reinforcing the role of standardisation and certification with the EU wanting to increase its influence in international standardisation bodies
• Systematic analysis of risks and needs of different industrial ecosystems with development of a tailor-made approach for each sector
• Reinforced customs controls to ensure that imported products comply with EU legislation
• Sustainable and smart mobility industries with a focus on ship building and other transport sectors (a separate strategy will be launched)
• Launch of a new Circular Economy Action Plan that will focus on high-impact products
• Focus on skills and training with a “Pact for Skills” to be launched
• Funding will come from all areas of EU funding (such as Horizon Europe and regional funds)
• Set-up of Industrial Forum where industry will be represented 

SME Strategy

The European Commission recognises that Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are crucial to address the key challenges for Europe and support the New Industrial Strategy. Its dedicated SME strategy is based on three pillars: 1) Support for transition to sustainability and digitalisation, 2) Reducing regulatory burden and improving market access and 3) Access to financing. A number of initiatives are announced:

• Addressing regulatory burden through the “one-in, one-out principle” for new legislation and creation of EU SME Envoy to whom burdensome legislation can be flagged
• Launch of portal to inform SMEs about customs procedures and formalities for exporting to third countries and dedicated SME chapters in future trade agreements
• Support to improve SME’s access to finance, including a SME window of InvestEU to support with equity financing
• Addressing skills gap with “Pact for Skills” to be launched including a component for SMEs
• Funding opportunities under European Innovation Council (EIC) and other EU funding tools

Action Plan for implementation and enforcement of the Single Market

Based on a separate report on the barriers to the Single Market, the Commission published an action plan to address these and better enforce the Single market. The conclusion from the report for the Commission is that compliance with single market rules is lacking with too many barriers for businesses. The Action Plan focuses primarily on national authorities, but has some relevance to industry. A number of initiatives are announced:

• Provision of guidance for national authorities on EU legislation
  • Guidance on Article 4 of the Market Surveillance Regulation (in relation to establishment of economic operators, including the Recreational Craft Directive
  • Update of the Blue Guide for implementation of harmonised products rules (relevant for Recreational Craft Directive)
• Establishment of Single Digital Gateway for information and access to single market rules
• New possibilities for businesses to report on Single Market obstacles

All documents can be found in full here.

The European Commission released its flagship Industrial Strategy and SME Strategy yesterday. European Boating Industry (EBI) welcomes these and their potential to support the recreational boating industry in Europe to sustainably grow, create employment and further develop the sector’s global leadership and environmental transition.

The European Commission presented its new Industrial Strategy that recognises the value of industry and wants to support them in being “future-ready”. It aims to tackle the challenges of environmental transition, as well as digitalisation. It recognises Europe as the “home of industry” and industry as “central to Europe’s future progress and prosperity”. The strategy announces a number of initiatives to support industry to grow and maintain its leadership.

The European Commission also released its SME strategy at the same time. It aims to support small companies in transitioning to sustainability and digitalisation, as well as addressing regulatory burden and improving access to financing. EBI Secretary-General Philip Easthill commented on the announcement “The EU Industrial Strategy is an important step to ensure the long-term growth of Europe’s industry. With over 95% SMEs in the boating industry, we particularly welcome the focus on smaller companies that are the backbone of European industry. We look forward to engaging with the European Commission on shaping the industrial ecosystem in the boating sector and turning this strategy into concrete actions.”

EBI is a member of the Industry4Europe coalition of over 150 industry associations. Launched three years ago, it advocates for an ambitious industrial strategy that helps Europe remain a hub for a leading, smart, innovative and sustainable industry, and that provides quality jobs and benefits all Europeans and future generations. The Coalition published its Joint Paper ‘A long-term strategy for Europe’s industrial future: from words to action’ in which it presented concrete policy proposals.

The Conference was organised by the Croatian EU Presidency and Industry4Europe, a coalition of over 150 industry associations promoting a strong EU industrial strategy. EBI is a longstanding member of the coalition and was a sponsor of the event held on 21 January in Brussels.

Several high-level speakers from the EU institutions spoke at the event:

• Goran Štefanić, Deputy Permanent Representative of Croatia to the European Union
• Darko Horvat, Croatian Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Craft
• Cristian-Silviu Buşoi, MEP, Chair of the Committee for Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE)
• Lucie Studničná, President of the Consultative Commission for Industrial Change (CCMI) of the European Economic and Social Committee
• Mario Antonić, State Secretary, Croatian Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts
• Carlo Calenda, MEP, Member of the European Parliament Committee for Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE)
• Mr Gwenole Cozigou, Acting Director-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), European Commission

Key points addressed during the event were the role of European industry to implement the European Green Deal, the importance of small and medium-sized companies, and industry as backbone of the European economy. The EU should lead in innovation and developing the products, technologies & business models of the future.

Industry4Europe, a coalition of 149 sector Associations, including European Boating Industry (EBI) representing the diversity of the EU’s industrial base, published its new Joint Paper ‘A long-term strategy for Europe’s industrial future: from words to action’. Through cross-sectoral recommendations, the Industry4Europe coalition contributes to the future EU industrial strategy announced by European Commission President-Elect Ursula von der Leyen.

The Joint Paper presents concrete industrial policy proposals in seven priority fields; business-friendly policy environment, sustainability at business core, upgraded skills and training, enhanced research and innovation, investment and improved access to finance, reinforcement of the European Single Market and strengthened trade and international market access.

The 149 industry organisations behind Industry4Europe stand united in their repeated calls for an ambitious and long-term EU industrial strategy that must help Europe remain a hub for a leading, smart, innovative and sustainable industry, that provides quality jobs and benefits all Europeans and future generations.

“With its skilled workforce and its global reputation for quality and sustainability, our industry is vital for Europe and its prosperity”, said Philippe Citroën, Coordinator of the Industry4Europe Coalition. “The European Union needs an ambitious industrial strategy now to compete with other global regions that have already put industry at the very top of their political agenda. It is essential for a horizonal, coherent and focused industrial policy to support the backbone of the European economy and which protects citizens and the global environment”.

European Commission President-Elect von der Leyen has said clearly in her Political Guidelines for the upcoming mandate that she would, “put forward my plan for a future-ready economy, our new industrial strategy”. The Industry4Europe coalition welcomes this ambition and hopes that its explicit policy recommendations will find a central place in any comprehensive long-term industrial strategy that comes out of the EU institutions.

The Industry4Europe coalition therefore looks forward to working with all policymakers – notably the designated Executive Vice-Presidents Valdis Dombrovskis and Margrethe Vestager and Commissioner Thierry Breton – to discuss and implement such an ambitious and much-needed EU industrial strategy.

Industry4Europe is an extensive and unprecedented coalition of sectoral Associations dedicated to campaigning for an ambitious EU industrial strategy. With 149 European industry Associations spanning Europe’s economy, Industry4Europe is helping to set the vision for the long-term future of the EU’s industrial strategy. European Boating Industry (EBI) is a proud member of the coalition.

For more information: www.industry4europe.eu

European Union, 26 November 2019 – Industry4Europe, a coalition of 149 sector Associations, including European Boating Industry (EBI) representing the diversity of the EU’s industrial base, today published its new Joint Paper ‘A long-term strategy for Europe’s industrial future: from words to action’. Through cross-sectoral recommendations, the Industry4Europe coalition contributes to the future EU industrial strategy announced by European Commission President-Elect Ursula von der Leyen.

The Joint Paper presents concrete industrial policy proposals in seven priority fields; business-friendly policy environment, sustainability at business core, upgraded skills and training, enhanced research and innovation, investment and improved access to finance, reinforcement of the European Single Market and strengthened trade and international market access.

The 149 industry organisations behind Industry4Europe stand united in their repeated calls for an ambitious and long-term EU industrial strategy that must help Europe remain a hub for a leading, smart, innovative and sustainable industry, that provides quality jobs and benefits all Europeans and future generations.

“With its skilled workforce and its global reputation for quality and sustainability, our industry is vital for Europe and its prosperity”, said Philippe Citroën, Coordinator of the Industry4Europe Coalition. “The European Union needs an ambitious industrial strategy now to compete with other global regions that have already put industry at the very top of their political agenda. It is essential for a horizonal, coherent and focused industrial policy to support the backbone of the European economy and which protects citizens and the global environment”.

European Commission President-Elect von der Leyen has said clearly in her Political Guidelines for the upcoming mandate that she would, “put forward my plan for a future-ready economy, our new industrial strategy”. The Industry4Europe coalition welcomes this ambition and hopes that its explicit policy recommendations will find a central place in any comprehensive long-term industrial strategy that comes out of the EU institutions.

The Industry4Europe coalition therefore looks forward to working with all policymakers – notably the designated Executive Vice-Presidents Valdis Dombrovskis and Margrethe Vestager and Commissioner Thierry Breton – to discuss and implement such an ambitious and much-needed EU industrial strategy.

Industry4Europe is an extensive and unprecedented coalition of sectoral Associations dedicated to campaigning for an ambitious EU industrial strategy. With 149 European industry Associations spanning Europe’s economy, Industry4Europe is helping to set the vision for the long-term future of the EU’s industrial strategy. European Boating Industry (EBI) is a proud member of the coalition.

For more information: www.industry4europe.eu