CoRAI Meeting 20-06-2024

Secretary General Kirton-Darling sees industriALL Europe alongside the CoRAI with regard to the demand for technological openness. In her keynote speech, Kirton-Darling reiterated CoRAI's and Marsilio’s desire to be able to use the Just Transition Fund for automotive regions in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. The Secretary General also emphasised the need for a European industrial policy (see Antwerp Declaration, also signed by CEEMET, CLEPA, ACEA and Eurelectric) that takes a holistic approach to avoid regulatory uncertainty – specifically addressing DG Competition, DG Trade and DG Grow – and complements the objectives of the Green Deal. A large part of industrial policy must include investments based on regional needs, especially from the private sector. At the same time, public investments mainly liked to infrastructure are necessary. She concluded her remarks with the message that a powerful network, regional policies based on their specific interests and a strong engagement with social partners are crucial for a just transition.

Many tasks for the new European Commission to tackle

In the discussions, CoRAI Chair Schmidt emphasised once again that the decarbonisation goals of the Green Deal are undoubtedly recognised by CoRAI, but that the path to achieving these goals should not be prescribed by excluding certain technologies. This does not mean reigniting the debate about phasing out combustion engines, but rather looking optimistically to the future, which will see huge leaps in research and development in the coming years, provided sufficient investment is made at European level.

CoRAI member Adrian Teban joined the debate by stressing the need for a territorial impact assessment on the regional level. Furthermore, Sergio Pérez García (Alternate CoR Member for CoRAI-Co-Chair María Chivite) remarked that with regard to the provisional countervailing duties it is important to listen to the automotive sector and remembered that this activity will not solve the lack of competitiveness of the EU industry. CoRAI member Matteo Luigi Bianchi expressed the desire for a more global approach to tackling the climate crisis and called for the socio-economic aspect of the transition to be prioritised.

The Director of Legislative Affairs of the CoR, Thomas Wobben, recalled the need to set up a European Just Transition Observatory that considers the territorial dimension. He referred to the establishment of a European transition observatory by DG EMPL, which has so far been lacking this component. This demand was linked to Kirton Darling's call for employment and social mapping on at least NUTS 2 level. CoRAI is committed to this at European level in cooperation with the ARA.

Above all, the participants at the meeting agreed on the realisation that successful transition in the automotive regions of the European Union can only be achieved through a bottom-up approach.