What is really in the new EU industrial package

One will “cut through all shackles”, “clear all obstacles out of the way” and ensure that “the future of industry is realized in Europe”. Ursula von der Leyen once again made up – at least verbally, in a speech in front of more than a hundred top representatives of Europe’s industry in Antwerp.

There, at an industrial summit, the EU Commission chief presented that The first package of measures that are the prelude to your second term: from cheap energy, new funding to a drastic reduction in bureaucratic requirements, reporting obligations and regulations.

Big promises, which of course still have to be sent on a long political journey. Finally have that EU Parliament and the EU countries in all of this. The first reactions from industry are mixed, as the courier learned on the summit. “Beautiful goals, but not yet concrete measures,” said a globally active steel manufacturer, while representatives of the wind power industry raved about “generous grants and faster permits”.

Similar split the reactions of EU politicians. While Greens and Social Democrats from one Calculation of the Green Dealthat is, speaking the EU’s struggle against climate change, they see Christian Democrats a Step in the right directionwarn but rapid practical implementation a. But what’s up with the EU measures package? The courier gives an overview.

Is the EU bureaucracy actually trimmed?

A number of legislative packages with the title “Omnibus” (“for everything”), tries to shorten the previous regulations for companies, simplify and in joint packages to summarize. It is about some legislative packages of the Green Deal decided during the first term. Above all, that is affected Supplier lawThe company obliges to check their suppliers all over the world for social and ecological criteria. The Taxonomy Ordinancewith which investors have to precisely define how sustainable companies operate into which their money flows. The is also simplified Sustainability reportingin which companies have to document the environmental impact on their activities in detail.

So is the reform at the expense of climate protection?

The supply chain law, which is reduced drastically, only applies to the greatest companies and is also postponed by another year, to 2028, in any case. Most companies no longer have to make compensation payments if they import raw materials from countries with less climate protection than the EU. According to many entrepreneurs, large parts of the sustainability reports would primarily produce paper and would have little positive effects on climate protection.

Is energy for companies Biliger?

The plan for “Affordable energy” is a package of measures such as reducing taxes to energy, or network fees and the simplification of the approval of new systems for electricity production. To implement all of this is in the hands of the individual member states, not the EU Commission. The package is therefore only a number of ideas and suggestions and does not mean that energy prices can be reduced quickly.

Are there any new funding for industry?

The EU wants to finance investments in sustainable industrial plants, or the production of green energy through a newly established investment bank. This is intended to receive long -term acceptance contracts for their electricity, for example, the operators of wind turbines guaranteed, a basic prerequisite for investments in new systems. 100 billion from EU funding pots are made available for this “Dekarbonization Bank”.

Which companies should benefit?

Smaller and medium-sized companies in particular should get generous exceptions from the EU bureaucracy. Neither the supply chain law should apply to you, nor should you continue to have sustainability reports, i.e., for example, whether the screws that have been produced in your products in a climate-friendly manner.

According to the EU Commission, a new threshold of 50 tons per year and importer would free around 90 percent of importers from the obligations to compensation payments for carbon dioxide. Nevertheless, 99 percent of emissions should continue to be subject to EU fees. Overall, around a quarter less bureaucracy is said to burden companies. Duty for small companies should decrease by 35 percent.