On 7 April, EuropeOn’s General Secretary joined colleagues from the Electrification Alliance for a meeting with members of the cabinet of Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, Stéphane Séjourné. The discussion centred around the Clean Industrial Deal and the Affordable Energy Action Plan, published on February by the European Commission.
EuropeOn Secretary General Julie Beaufils reacted to current debates on simplification of EU law (this process is known as “omnibus”). As representatives of companies, mostly SMEs, EuropeOn is supportive of avoiding disproportionate regulation. However, re-opening now the Green Deal files that were just negotiated a few months ago is equally disproportionate. Indeed, our members are currently working with national authorities and end-users on implementing new rules and standards deriving from the Green Deal. Back-pedalling on this new environment could create even more uncertainty and burden. While revising Directives that have just been adopted undermines stakeholders’ trust in the energy transition and governmental targets, there must be other ways to cut red tape for companies, through guidelines and lower-ranked legislation.
This was also the occasion for the Alliance to support the introduction of an electrification KPI at 32% by 2030, and remind that achieving this target will require bold action and major investments in Energy-Intensive Industries, backed by Europe’s clean tech sector and a strong grid system. Electrification Alliance members also stressed the urgency of accelerating flexibility measures, promoting efficient, regionally tailored network tariff designs, and ensuring fair market mechanisms to drive clean electricity consumption.
Besides, workforce shortages remain a key concern, with calls for state aid to better support skills development. EuropeOn urged the European Commission to effectively address workforce shortages, as having enough qualified workers is a necessary condition for Europe’s electrification.
The meeting with Commissioner Séjourné’s cabinet reasserted the importance of collaboration between industry stakeholders and policymakers to overcome obstacles and seize opportunities for electrification. EuropeOn remains committed to ensuring that electrification is at the heart of the Clean Industrial Deal, fostering a sustainable and prosperous future.
Have a look at the Electrification Alliance’s recommendations, on the Electrification Action Plan and the Clean Industrial Deal.
