The European Commission has postponed the announcement of a policy prioritizing industrial parts and products made in Europe by a week due to disagreements about its geographic scope. The policy, which sets minimum requirements for local parts in projects funded by public money in key sectors like batteries, solar, wind energy, and nuclear power, was originally set to be revealed on Thursday. It is now scheduled for March 4th.
Countries like France support “Made in Europe” rules to protect European industries from cheaper imports, especially from China. However, nations like Sweden and the Czech Republic warn that such “buy local” rules could discourage investments, increase government tender prices, and harm the EU’s global competitiveness. Industries, including carmakers, want these protections to extend beyond the EU and EFTA countries to include others like Britain and Turkey. The policy is part of the Clean Industrial Deal, aimed at enhancing the EU’s competitiveness with U. S. and Chinese markets. The Commission hopes that the extra week for discussions will strengthen the proposal.
With information from Reuters
