An agreement between France and Germany to strengthen support in the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) is nearing completion. Stéphane Séjourné, President of the European Union Industry, announced that this agreement may be "reached in the next few hours or days." This agreement is made in exchange for easing regulations related to internal combustion engines.
Hope for resolving the crisis in the European Parliament
Séjourné said at a competitiveness seminar in Paris that he hopes this agreement will help resolve the crisis in the European Parliament, especially among representatives of the European People's Party. He stated that this agreement is of great importance as a European agreement and could facilitate the legislative process.
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Flexibility in internal combustion laws
Séjourné also referred to the possibility of greater flexibility in laws related to the ban on internal combustion engines and pollution regulations. He emphasized that this flexibility is only possible if carbon reduction targets are not completely set aside. Séjourné said: "This agreement should allow for greening the IAA."
Furthermore, Séjourné pointed out the existing disagreements in the European Parliament between supporters of the elective and non-elective systems for receiving preferential benefits in the European market. He dismissed these discussions as irrelevant and stressed the importance of reciprocal action with countries that the European Union collaborates with.
Emphasis on the use of public resources
Séjourné added that "European public resources should primarily be used to meet public needs." The main goal of this agreement is to ensure continuous production in Europe and to prevent the scope of "made in Europe" from being infinitely expanded.
In the context of the overall trade policy of the European Union, Séjourné emphasized the necessity of creating credible trade defense tools and stated that China "rightly believes it won the trade power war with the Trump administration last year."
Critique of member states' financial policies
Séjourné also reacted to Marine Le Pen's proposal, the right-wing candidate for the French presidential election next year, to unilaterally reduce member states' financial contributions to the European Union, equating it to leaving the bloc. He said: "I don't know any member of a sports club who goes to the club without paying membership fees."
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