EESC endorses Commission's vision of a new industrial policy for Europe
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has given its support to Commission proposals for an updated industrial policy for Europe, saying that they should be taken into account during the mid-term review of the Lisbon strategy. In its response to the Commission's communication on industrial policy, the EESC fully agrees that a rethink is necessary, and in particular a reappraisal of Europe's manufacturing industry. It also endorses the three axes identified by the Commission upon which future industrial policy should be based: better lawmaking, an integrated EU approach, and sectoral policies with specific measures. According to the Committee's opinion, the Commission should be responsible for implementing the first axis - better lawmaking - by carefully assessing the impact of current and proposed legislation. An integrated EU approach should provide for more effective coordination between EU and national policies, and the final sector-specific axis should be used to ensure that analyses and policies are more closely aligned to the particular dynamics of key sectors and businesses. The sectoral dimension should also include ongoing consultations with business sectors, the removal of non-trade barriers, research and development and more targeted human resource management. The EESC also supports the establishment of Technology Platforms in order to create new public-private or private-private partnerships. Finally, the Committee's opinion calls for improved coordination within both the Commission and the Competitiveness Council, adding that 'this should promote visibility and create synergies'. The new EU approach to industrial policy should also be taken into account during the mid-term review of the Lisbon strategy, the EESC opinion concludes.