Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Revealed: France’s massive ‘Made in Europe’ strategy

Revealed: France’s massive ‘Made in Europe’ strategy

The EU is reeling as it debates how to respond to a recent U.S. subsidy push.

The French government has pitched a complete overhaul of the European Union’s approach to boosting its industry, offering a sweeping “Made in Europe” strategy to counter a flood of U.S. subsidies, according to documents seen by POLITICO.

In a letter dated January 9, the French government calls on the EU to accelerate production targets, weaken state aid rules, establish an emergency sovereignty fund and mobilize trade defense instruments — all in reaction to a recent U.S. bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, which included $369 billion in climate-friendly subsidies.

The move follows a pledge earlier this month from French President Emmanuel Macron, in which he jockeyed for the bloc to make progress on a "Made in Europe" strategy. The campaign has become a point of friction within the EU — while numerous countries support France's endeavor in theory, there is little agreement over exactly how to accomplish it.

Production targets

In the letter, from France’s general secretariat for European affairs, the French say the EU should design new production targets “for reducing our dependencies” across sensitive sectors.

“Very concretely, the Union should set itself production targets to be achieved by 2030,” based on the model of the bloc’s draft Chips Act, the letter says. 

The Chips Act is part of the EU's broader effort to ensure Europe doesn't have to rely on countries like China for the technology that powers modern technology. The bloc is also rapidly reconsidering how it sources its energy in the wake of Russia's war in Ukraine.

The letter says the EU must embark on “reforms to simplify and accelerate the procedures for granting permits for the installation of new production sites” as well as a complete energy market reform, which could aid in companies' production and investment decisions.

State Aid

The European Commission is also currently in the process of revising its emergency state aid rules, which have gone through a series of iterations since the start of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Traditionally, the EU has been reluctant to offer state aid in all but the most extreme circumstances. But in its letter, France says the EU should embark on “targeted support – via subsidies or tax credits – based on criteria defined upstream, in a limited number of sectors.” 

“These mechanisms could take the form of tax advantages (tax credits) or direct subsidies targeted at the strategic sectors,” the letter states. 

Those sectors — the French say — could include photovoltaics, batteries, hydrogen and critical materials. The letter also suggests only ending the relaxation of these state aid rules in 2030. They are currently due to expire at the end of this year.

It adds that certain small and medium enterprises should be exempted from state aid limits, particularly if they are involved as partners in the EU’s Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) program. And it argues that aid notification thresholds for environmental or decarbonization projects should be increased to €20 million per company and per project.


Commission President von der Leyen is due on February 1 to offer EU countries her thoughts on responding to the U.S. efforts

The Commission’s antitrust enforcers are due to circulate their latest draft of the bloc’s emergency state aid rules to EU nations on Friday.

Sovereignty Fund


France also suggests the establishment of an emergency fund, supported by money from the EU’s post-pandemic recovery pot, as well as from REPowerEU — the bloc’s financing framework for diversifying investments away from Russian fossil fuels. 

The letter recommends reallocating €365 billion “not yet disbursed as a priority to sectors that are strategic for European industry” and adds that of the €221 billion in loans that remain to be allocated, EU countries “should be able to give priority to strategic European industrial sectors.”

The emergency sovereignty fund should be operational before the end of 2023, the letter says. 

The French are cautious, however, to ensure that a new influx of state aid doesn't fracture the EU's vaunted single market. The fear is that loosening state aid rules could offer an advantage to deeper-pocketed countries within the EU. To counteract this, the letter suggests a repeat of SURE, a common debt instrument used at the onset of the pandemic that offered countries favorable loans.


Trade defense


In order to preserve the fairness of competition rules internationally, France’s letter concludes by saying that “the EU's trade strategy should be more articulated around the defense of the European single market.” To this end the Commission should make use of trade defense instruments as outlined in World Trade Organization rules, the letter notes. 

Commission President von der Leyen is due on February 1 to offer EU countries her thoughts on responding to the U.S. efforts. Her messaging will come just ahead of an EU leaders’ summit scheduled for February 9-10 in which the issue is due to take center stage.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×