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Answer to a written question – Safeguarding European industry: confronting the European Green Deal’s economic and industrial consequences within the framework of the Competitiveness Compass – E-000553/2025(ASW)

Source: European Parliament

1. The Green Deal[1] aims at positioning Europe as the first climate-neutral continent in a fair, cost effective and competitive way. The Clean Industrial Deal[2] has continued this path by strengthening the business case for decarbonisation and competitiveness in the EU[3] through actions to improve access to affordable energy, lead markets, public and private investments, materials and resources, global markets, skills and quality jobs. To tailor actions to the needs of individual industries, work goes on with the preparation of sector specific plans, such as those for the automotive[4], steel, and metal[5] sectors. The recent simplification package[6] shows the Commission’s focus also on horizontal enablers necessary for a competitive economy.

2. EU’s industry faces higher energy prices than those of our trading partners and unfair global competition due to overcapacities from other countries. To address this and support the green transition, the Commission adopted the Affordable Energy Action Plan[7]. Reducing dependency on hydrocarbons and expanding clean technologies is key for EU’s energy security. The Clean Industrial Deal targets 100 GW of renewable electricity generation and boosting recycling and use of secondary materials that require less energy than extraction and processing of virgin materials. The EU remains committed to its decarbonisation objectives.

3. In addition to strengthening its domestic supply chains and resilience, the EU remains committed to the effective implementation of critical raw materials policies through strategic partnerships with countries rich in these resources and boosting recycling.

  • [1] https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal/delivering-european-green-deal_en
  • [2] COM(2025) 85 final of 26.2.2025.
  • [3] See also the Competitiveness Compass communication, COM(2025) 30 final of 29.1.2025.
  • [4] See the Industrial Action Plan for an Automotive Sector, COM(2025) 95 final of 05.3.2025.
  • [5] See the Steel and Metals Action Plan, COM(2025) 30 final of 19.3.2025.
  • [6] https://finance.ec.europa.eu/publications/commission-simplifies-rules-sustainability-and-eu-investments-delivering-over-eu6-billion_en
  • [7] https://energy.ec.europa.eu/strategy/affordable-energy_en
Last updated: 5 May 2025