Preparation of the Competitiveness Council on 27 May 2019. Conclusions on an EU Industrial Policy Strategy: A Vision for 2030 – Adoption.

In a sawmill prespective, several positive elements are included in the Council's document. In particular:

• Due regard should be paid to an improved business environment for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), skills development and the social dimension;
• ensuring fair competition within the Single Market and globally;
• advancing in the Single Market integration so as to enable EU industry to compete globally on a level playing field, using appropriate all relevant tools;
• Emphasises the need for a stronger interlinkage between industrial policy, Single Market policy, research and innovation policy, digitalisation and environmental policy;
• Underlines the importance of a proper, timely, transparent and effective implementation, application and enforcement of Single Market rules in all Member States and call for concrete steps for eliminating unnecessary regulatory and non-regulatory burdens and all unjustified remaining technical and non-technical barriers in the Single Market;
• Stresses the importance of strong European industrial value chains in a global context for improving industrial competitiveness and security of supply strategic autonomy, fighting climate change, enhancing resource efficiency, security of supply including of primary and secondary raw materials;
• Underlines that circularity can significantly contribute to improving the EU economy's resilience, competitiveness and industrial base; invites Member States and the Commission to fully tap into the potential of the circular economy when rolling out their industrial and innovation policies……..exploiting the potential of bio-based raw materials, reducing the EU's dependency on imported raw materials, and thereby considerably lowering both its environmental and carbon footprint, while protecting human health and the environment.
• Calls on the Commission to consider updating the Small Business Act for Europe and, where appropriate, the SME definition provided by Recommendation 2003/361/EC, taking into account recent developments and new challenges, and focusing on good framework conditions for SMEs, with a view to the inclusion of a new "digital principle".

The document: Preparation of the Competitiveness Council on 27 May 2019 Conclusions on an EU Industrial Policy Strategy: A Vision for 2030

Source: EU Council.