“A new political cycle will kick off next year. All European citizens will elect new Members of the European Parliament and we will also have a new President of the Commission. Our Manifesto is an attempt to share ideas with politicians and all kind of stakeholders in Europe to rethink what is needed for a more strategic, creative, sustainable and inclusive industry. We have chosen not to remain silent but to engage and let others engage, too. A proper debate is a must,” said Kjetil Ebbesberg, Chairman of European Aluminium.
European Aluminium’s public event was focused on industrial value chains and policies needed to improve the competitiveness of strategic sectors. The event attracted over 200 participants and featured an interactive exhibition highlighting aluminium’s key markets, panel debates and keynote speeches. Policy makers, academia, industry and national officials exchanged views on the role of the European Union, innovation and the fundamental interaction between sectoral policies such as trade, energy and climate.
“Listening to all the experts today, we can conclude that industrial policy cannot be something abstract and disconnected from important sectoral policies for our industry. It’s time to identify strategic value chains, to define long-term policies with a clear governance and targets. Above all, we must ensure that industrial policy is endorsed by future leaders as a critical policy area and will be a key driver of next Commission and European Parliament’s agenda. Our Manifesto is there to be used, commented on and even challenged. Silence is a recipe for stand still,” concluded Gerd Götz, Director General of European Aluminium.
European Aluminium launched a Manifesto micro-site where users can read or download the Manifesto in multiple languages, vote on the Manifesto and submit their comments. European Aluminium also invites stakeholders to continue the debate on social media using the hashtag #INDUSTRYPLUS.