EU delays ‘Made in Europe’ plan amid internal divisions

The European Commission has delayed the announcement of its proposed “Made in Europe” industrial policy by one week following internal disagreements over the scope of the plan.

The measures, expected to be introduced under the new Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), would set minimum thresholds for locally manufactured components in publicly funded projects across strategic sectors such as batteries, solar, wind energy and nuclear power, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

A spokesperson for Commission Executive Vice President Stéphane Séjourné said the presentation of the IAA has been rescheduled to March 4 to allow additional discussions.

The proposal is part of the Commission’s broader Clean Industrial Deal, adopted last year to strengthen the bloc’s competitiveness against U.S. and Chinese rivals.

While countries including France have pushed for stricter “Made in Europe” rules to shield local industries from cheaper imports, particularly from China, other member states such as Sweden and the Czech Republic have raised concerns. They argue that “buy local” requirements could discourage investment, increase public procurement costs and weaken the EU’s global competitiveness.

Industry groups have also called for broader eligibility, urging the Commission to extend protections beyond the EU and EFTA countries to include partners such as Britain and Turkey that are integrated into European supply chains.

The Commission said the extra week of talks aims to ensure the final proposal is “rock-solid” before its formal unveiling.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada