Meeting with the Commission’s Director-General for Industry on electrification

On 9 December, EuropeOn’s General Secretary joined colleagues from the Electrification Alliance for a meeting with Kerstin Jorna, Director-General of the European Commission’s DG GROW (Industry, Internal Market, Entrepreneurship & SMEs). The discussion centred on presenting the Alliance’s recommendations for two of the Commission’s upcoming strategies: the Clean Industrial Deal (expected on 26 February) and the Electrification Action Plan (expected later in 2025). This meeting underscored the urgency of accelerating electrification to meet Europe’s decarbonisation goals and bolster industrial competitiveness.

As summarised by Ms. Jorna, “the European Green Deal was about the ‘what’, the Clean industrial deal will be about the ‘how’”. Under the leadership of French Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné, DG GROW is uniquely positioned to address challenges faced by SMEs and larger companies, promote innovation, and tackle barriers in sectors like construction and energy-intensive industries. Its work is pivotal in fostering a seamless single market and driving standardisation—both critical for electrical contracting businesses.

During the meeting, Director-General Jorna called for the Electrification Alliance members to share case studies and success stories related to decarbonising industry. She emphasised the importance of reassuring energy-intensive industries that electricity supply will meet their needs. This is why EuropeOn and the Electrification Alliance are calling for an ambitious Electrification Action plan, to reach at least 35% electrification of final energy use across the EU by 2030 (while it currently plateaus at 23%).

The Alliance presented actionable recommendations to the Commission. These included:

  • Establishing national smart electrification indicators to measure and track progress across Member States;
  • Providing adequate financial support for the deployment of electric equipment, electric heating, and cooling technologies, so as to boost demand and make the energy transition affordable for all;
  • Reforming the Energy Taxation Directive so as to shift national taxes away from electricity;
  • Ensuring timely grid access for electrified industrial processes as they require complete reliability;
  • Address barriers to unlocking flexibility in the industry in order to consume electricity smartly and at the best price;
  • Promoting workforce development: Ensuring that we have enough electrical professionals with sufficient skills to meet growing electrification demands.

The meeting with DG GROW reinforced 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.