Joint Nordic input to the EU Industrial Forum

This stresses that the recommendations by the Industrial Forum should be based on a step-by-step approach, where the first step should be to assess whether the regulatory framework of any given ecosystem is fit for purpose.

The EU Industrial Forum was set up by the European Commission in the EU Industrial Strategy in March 2020. The Forum is a high-level group, designed to support the European Commission in the implementation and working of the Industrial Strategy. With a view to unlock the potential of new value chains and innovation-driven “locomotives” for the recovery of the EU, the Industrial Forum is mandated to provide recommendations to the Commission on a “dedicated toolbox” (which could include regulatory action, unlocking financing or making the most of trade defense instruments) to foster the twin transition of relevant ecosystems, in line with the Industrial Strategy.

We believe that the recommendations put forward by the Industrial Forum should be based on a step-by-step approach to the abovementioned toolbox. The first step should be to assess whether the regulatory framework of any given ecosystem is fit for purpose, i.e. regulatory barriers that need removal or introduction of new regulatory measures that can underpin industrial development in the ecosystems. The Forum should conduct a thorough analysis on this and provide recommendations for regulatory action - horizontal as well as sector-specific actions.

Once the regulatory aspects of the ecosystems have been assessed in detail, investments needs should be assessed and proposals to unlock investments, private and public, should be developed as a second step. IPCEI should not become the norm but be utilized only when strictly necessary. Furthermore, the use of IPCEIs should be based on strict principles and can only be justified in case of documented market failure.

Similarly, consideration on the use of trade defence instruments should be reserved for later steps. In general, the EU should keep a balanced approach to trade defence instruments that allows European companies access to global supply chains,

In line with this step-by-step approach, the recommendations listed below focus solely on the regulatory part of the “toolbox”.

Horizontal proposals

• The role of standardisation for market-driven European innovation and competitiveness.
• Servicification as driver for industrial competitiveness Increased mutual recognition in the EU Single Market.
• Effective application of existing Single Market tools.
• Technology Infrastructure for dynamic RD&I ecosystems.
• Let the market-based principles be the core of EU Industrial Policy.
• EU regulation fit for the digital age.
• The necessity of dataflows.

Sector-specific proposals

Ecosystem for Digital:

• Free, Fair, and Rule-based Digital Governance Creating a well-balanced AI Regulation.
• Interoperability, security and safety requirements and lower infrastructure costs.
• Data sharing and use and legal requirements.

Ecosystem for low carbon energy intensive industry :

• Carbon Capture, Use and Storage (CSS)
• An ecosystem for energy-intensive industries and fossil-free energy

Energy-Intensive Industries and low- and zero-emission Energy ecosystems: 

• Provide incentives for innovation in the life sciences industry.

Ecosystem for Health: 

• Enhance innovation in the life-science industry: