Commission aims to boost competitiveness of mechanical engineering in Europe
The Commission has established an expert group to assess the challenges facing the mechanical engineering sector in Europe - a key enabling industry for Europe's overall competitiveness. The mechanical engineering sector in Europe directly employs 2.4 million people in some 23,000 companies, and is a world leader with 41 per cent of the global market. Industrialists, Member State representatives, trade unionists and academics within the 'EnginEurope' group will assess the conditions that mechanical engineering will face in ten years, and propose measures to safeguard Europe's competitiveness in this area. After the group's first meeting in Brussels on 9 February, Commission Vice-President responsible for Enterprise and Industry, Günter Verheugen, said: 'EnginEurope will examine the strengths and weaknesses of Europe's important mechanical engineering industry. We need new ideas and concepts to promote its competitiveness and to maintain the high level of employment in the mechanical industry in the EU.' The Commission believes that the current strong performance of this sector could be undermined by increased international competition, low investment levels and reduced research and development spending, both public and private. The group is expected to propose measures in the areas of research and innovation, intellectual property rights, the availability of skilled technicians and engineers, and Europe's future technological base. The group is chaired by Professor Fritz Klocke, head of the mechanical engineering department at the Technical University of Aachen in Germany, and hopes to present a report to the Commission by early 2007.