German and French electrical industry demand a focus on future technologies

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FIEEC and ZVEI, the two associations of the French and German electrical and electronic industry, consider the proposals of the EU Commission for an EU Recovery Package to be positive. Both agree that a sustainable industrial strategy is now crucial in order to get back on track quickly and regain economic strength. However, the two associations demand that the plan is implemented quickly and that the focus of the recovery is concentrated on ambitious investments in future technologies. «The Green Deal is the right approach for this – says Wolfgang Weber, Chairman of the ZVEI Management Board. – There is a great need for investment in all climate-relevant sectors, but especially in mobility and buildings».
Moreover, in terms of industrial policy, FIEEC and ZVEI suggest that the Green Deal also has great potential as a future export strategy for Europe – green technology “made in Europe” – and can thus become a model for a sustainable economy outside Europe as well.
Furthermore, digitisation and the development of a European digital single market must be accelerated in order to create a strong and competitive European data economy.
«The period that we are going through – declares Benoît Lavigne, FIEEC General Delegate – far from shaking the determination of our companies, strengthens our belief that deep ongoing societal changes have to be accompanied. Remote work, transformation of manufacturing tools and buildings, ageing population care… The past months have shown that we need to accelerate – with the strong cooperation and support of European institutions – the construction of robust digital and energy infrastructures enabling the life of citizens, companies and administration to be better.»