The Industrial Decarbonisation Bank and the Affordable Energy Action Plan are crucial for the competitiveness and resilience of European industry, says the EP.
The resolution adopted by the plenary on Thursday is a response to the European Commission’s Clean Industrial Pact Plan. It stresses the need to combine climate action with industrial competitiveness. It also stresses the importance of the newly created Industrial Decarbonisation Bank, which MEPs say is vital to increase investment in clean technologies. Investment must be based on carbon impact, scalability and security of supply, they say.
Parliament welcomes the bid to make Europe a leader in the manufacture of clean and low-carbon products and stresses the need to stimulate demand through public and private procurement.
MEPs also call for protection of the EU market from unfair competition and dumping resulting from industrial overcapacity in third countries. They stress the importance of an effective carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) in the context of the phasing out of free allowances under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
Faster permitting procedures
The resolution addresses the importance of regulatory simplification and the need to streamline permitting procedures to support the transition and innovation efforts of small businesses. MEPs want to simplify funding applications, reduce reporting obligations and speed up small projects.
They also advocate permanent carbon sequestration for future legislative reviews and stress that emissions management, including capture, storage, transport and use, may be necessary for sectors where emission reductions are difficult.
Affordable energy action plan
MEPs support the action plan for affordable energy and call for measures to boost cross-border energy infrastructure and complete the energy union. The current fragmentation of regulatory oversight and investment planning in Member States is, in their view, hampering integration and electrification. MEPs also call on Member States, transmission system operators and the Commission to do more to promote cross-border electricity trade.
Statement by the rapporteur
“European industry faces enormous challenges, but a strong industrial base is essential for our competitiveness and strategic autonomy. The Clean Industrial Pact offers a strategy for a competitive and decarbonised European industry. At the same time, it seeks to protect our autonomy and secure jobs. The Pact is an important first step, but time is running out. The Commission must be more ambitious. In industrial policy, European cooperation is more crucial than ever,” said Tom Berendsen (EPP, the Netherlands), who coordinated the negotiation of the text between the parliamentary groups.
The resolution was adopted with 381 votes in favour, 173 against and 13 abstentions.
The Clean Industrial Pact
Launched by the European Commission in February, the Clean Industrial Pact aims to support the competitiveness and resilience of European industry. It focuses primarily on energy-intensive industries and clean technologies, and aims to reduce energy costs through an affordable energy action plan. The Clean Industrial Pact also aims to boost demand for clean products, further finance the clean transition and improve circularity, access to key raw materials and sectoral capacity building for strategic industries.
More information: European Parliament
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