The Confindustria companies of Germany (BDI), Italy (Confindustria) and France (Medef), gathered in Paris for the Trilateral Business Forum, have launched a strong appeal for a “competitive decarbonization” of Europe.
Industrialists have drawn attention to the need to define adequate financial regulation to support the dual green and digital transition. The three organizations also indicated the actions aimed at promoting the digital sovereignty of the Union, starting from the centrality of initiatives such as Gaia-X and the IPCEI on the cloud, which should be accompanied by the definition of a correct legal framework for AI and the promotion of manufacturing and design skills in semiconductors. Finally, in light of the uncertainty of the international context, Confindustria, BDI and Medef, highlighted the need for the European Union to protect its strategic interests, at the same time guaranteeing new development opportunities through the promotion of bilateral and multinational agreements.
The joint declaration
“The EU – reads the joint declaration released at the end of the two days of meetings in Paris with the president of Confindustria Carlo Bonomi and colleagues from France and Germany, Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux and Siegfried Russwurm – represents about eight per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Without a real commitment on the part of the main global economies, the possibility of producing a tangible result in terms of mitigation is reduced, while the exposure of our companies to competitive distortions and the risk of carbon leakage will increase ».
Mobilize more resources to cover investments related to decarbonisation
«The green transition – underlined the three confindustries – is necessary and ambitious, but it is not without challenges for our companies, especially in the short term. A massive process of industrial transformation will have to be accomplished in just nine years and an even greater effort will be needed for the 2050 climate target ”. And again: «To adapt all sectors of the economy to the new and more rigorous green paradigm, the economic and social costs will be extremely high. Therefore – the document continues -, it is essential to mobilize more resources than those currently foreseen in national and EU budgets to cover the investments necessary for decarbonisation and to support the social transition ”.
Bonomi is a historic moment, let’s not miss it
“The Italian, French and German industries have the same problems but also the same opportunities, we cannot miss the historic moment”: said the president of Confindustria, Carlo Bonomi, speaking at the press conference in Paris at the end of the Business Forum with the counterparts from France (Medef) and Germany (BDI), Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux and Sigfried Russwurm. The «most important part – Bonomi specified – concerns who will pay for the ecological transition? This is the main European issue. We have the feeling that the governments of Europe do not have the ability to force, to make the citizens pay, to speak clearly to the citizens. I have a feeling that it will pay the cost of the transition to general taxation, but if that is used, we do not have the resources for growth. This is the great question that arises today “.