Tajani in Paris: "We need a European industrial strategy"

“Competitiveness will be the crucial challenge of this European legislature”. In the aftermath of the agreement reached on the commissioners of the next EU executive led by von der Leyen, the vice-president of the Council and foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, launches a strong appeal to the audience of the Trilateral Business Forum gathered in the Paris headquarters of Medef (the French Confindustria) in a Paris surprisingly immersed in the pre-Christmas atmosphere, thanks to the first winter snow.

I’m there to listen to him the leaders of the Confindustria of Italy, France and Germanythe three largest economies of the EU, numerous representatives of European governments and institutions, including the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola.

An important audience, which the head of the Farnesina asks to push the accelerator to define an agreement as soon as possible to relaunch European competitiveness, in line with what is suggested by Mario Draghi.

“Competitiveness is the crucial challenge of this legislature and Europe, underlines Tajani, “can no longer afford to waste time”. Despite the economic complexity, the minister sees opportunities on the horizon that the EU will have to seize promptly. On the one hand, the agreement on the members of the EU Commission, reached in Brussels in the last few hours “suggests that the European executive will soon be able to get to work”, explains Tajani, referring above all to the competitiveness dossier.

On the other hand, he adds, Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025 in the White House it could push the EU to decide and reform. The minister also reiterated here that “Europe must speak with Trump”.

“I don’t think so – he added regarding the risk of new tariffs from the US to European goods – that Washington’s problem is Brussels, but it is my firm intention to be able to speak as soon as possible (ed. After taking office in January) with the new Trump administration”. Furthermore, around 40% of Italy’s GDP is generated by our exports and even for the EU the possibility of other trade barriers is certainly not at zero cost.

It is on the rules that block Europe – from the cumbersome bureaucracy to the directives that burden businesses with direct costs – that Minister Tajani points his finger. “There cannot be an environmentalist policy that kills growth, competitiveness and innovation in Europe“, observes Tajani, asking for a green transition that does not lose sight of social issues and the world of work. Even in automotive sector – he admits – “we made a mistake by obliging electric cars to start from 2035 without giving companies time to achieve these ambitious objectives”. In Italy, the stringent regulations imposed by Brussels could cost at least 70 thousand jobs, according to studies cited by the minister himself.

Tajani therefore returns to ask for an environmental policy that does not destroy the industrial one, regulations that give freedom to entrepreneurs and do not block them. L’Ue – cuts the minister short – “it cannot be a prison for businesses”. In short, it cannot be a brake on initiative and innovation, especially since “European entrepreneurs already have to deal with the higher costs of energy”, he stated, reiterating the “centrality of nuclear energy ( generation) if Europe wants to be globally competitive in the future” together with the urgency of a “European industrial policy”.

In the European horizon traced by Tapani there is not only one the threat of a significantly more competitive U.S. economy and fiercer than the European one. There is also the need to fight as Europe to set up trade relations with China in a more equitable way: “We need to give our companies the same opportunities in China, ensuring that China seriously invests in Europe” without exploiting Europe only for its “know-how”.

After recalling that “with the governments of France and Germany, with the institutions and partners of the EU, we are discussing how to concretely define a new European Competitiveness Deal” (to strengthen the Union, and “allow it to respond to future challenges while remaining anchored to its values”, Tajani then said “softer” attitudes on the part of the Eurotower were also hoped for which, in light of the comforting data on inflation, should – suggested Tajani – proceed with a cut in the cost of money”, to accommodate European businesses and families”.