Skip to main content

CECE meets with EU Commission to discuss policy

Construction equipment body CECE has met with senior figures within the EU Commission to help safeguard the competitiveness of the European industrial base. This is intended to help create jobs and to instil new sustainable economic growth in Europe. As a result, the European manufacturing industry is requesting a far thinking industrial policy strategy and action plan at EU level.
July 3, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
CECE president Bernd Holz (left) met EU Commission vice-president Jyrki Katainen (right)

Construction equipment body 3399 CECE has met with senior figures within the EU Commission to help safeguard the competitiveness of the European industrial base. This is intended to help create jobs and to instil new sustainable economic growth in Europe. As a result, the European manufacturing industry is requesting a far thinking industrial policy strategy and action plan at EU level. Commission vice-president Jyrki Katainen in Brussels and CECE president Bernd Holz discussed how vital a coherent industrial policy could be for the future of construction equipment manufacturing in Europe. Amongst the relevant points Holz highlighted market surveillance, international trade and regulatory compliance. Vice-president Katainen confirmed the EU Commission’s willingness and commitment to support EU industrial competitiveness and looks forward to receiving further input on policy measures and initiatives. Concluding the exchange Holz said, “I really appreciate the interest and the hands-on approach of Commissioner Katainen. I confirmed to him CECE’s readiness to deliver concrete examples of burdensome regulation, as well as new initiatives that we can put in place to reach the goal of 20% of EU GDP by industry.”

It is no secret that in the 2465 European Commission the initiative is an issue of controversy. Unanimous support, however, comes from the Member States   expressed by the Competitiveness Council and endorsed by the Council Summit and from several MEPs from all political groups in the European   Parliament. CECE is contributing input to the upcoming Parliament resolution calling on the Commission to propose the industrial policy strategy, to be adopted at its next plenary session on July 5th.

CECE’s main request is to give Europe’s manufacturing industry the means to   increase the share of industry in the European GDP to 20% by 2020. The major  fields of action defined include issues like reducing the administrative burden   of complying with EU legislation, ensuring fair competition through better   market surveillance, seeking greater international policy alignment to avoid technical barriers to trade, access to finance, digitalisation and new business models or investment in skills and talents.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Low Italian machine sales
    May 22, 2013
    The number of construction machines sold on the Italian market decreased by 36% in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the same period of 2012, according to Unacea, the association for Italian construction equipment attachment manufacturers. In Q1 2013, Unacea says 1,157 machines were sold domestically, of which 1,106 were earthmoving machines, 23 were road machines, and 28 were concrete machine/equipment sales. Moreover, according to the foreign trade monitor of the Construction Equipment Outlook publish
  • China's Roads Convention focuses on sustainability
    February 9, 2012
    IRF joins with key Chinese transport authorities to lead the way in efforts to make sustainable rural mobility, transport and access a reality for millions throughout the world. Jointly organised by IRF and the China Highway and Transportation Society (CHTS), together with the Shandong Provincial Transportation Department, the landmark 2nd International Convention on Rural Roads, hosted in the beautiful city of Jinan, China, marked a major step forward in global efforts to mobilise resources and knowledge f
  • Road safety concepts aimed at developing nations
    October 31, 2012
    In this second of a two-part interview, Rohit Baluja introduces the work of the Delhi-based Institute of Road Traffic Education that he established in 1991 by way of practical response to the particular challenges of road safety in a developing world context Despite the alarming trends outlined in the first part of this article (World Highways: Vol.21, Issue No.6), Rohit Baluja remains optimistic that, if only the proper foundations of traffic management systems can be established, there is no reason why dr
  • Joining forces on safety'
    February 15, 2012
    The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) welcomed the launch of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, saying it will enable the European Union to join forces in tackling road safety at a global level. The UN move aims to reduce by 50% the projected increase in road deaths by 2020, and was developed with the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which predicts that road traffic injuries will rise to become the fifth leading cause of death by 2030 in the world. It demanded action to correct t