How does the EU protect businesses from unfair trading practices?

Brussels, 11 April 2024 - AEGIS Europe’s co-chair Inès Van Lierde, along with representatives from the ceramic and bicycle sectors, contributed to an insightful read by Euronews on the challenges faced by European industries in the face of rising competition. Artificially low imports from China have detrimental effects on local industries: the EU must implement effective trade defence measures to ensure fair competition and safeguard European businesses. Find the article here.

Over 1000 organisations united call on EU Leaders to support the business case for investing in Europe with the European Industrial Deal

Brussels, 11 April 2024 - AEGIS Europe, along with over 1000 organisations, has signed the Antwerp Declaration, calling for a European Industrial Deal, needed to complement the Green Deal and keep high quality jobs for European workers in Europe, even stronger. The EU must embrace a strategic and comprehensive approach to revitalise and secure a resilient future for its manufacturing sector. This entails implementing robust trade and industrial policies to restore fair competition. Find out more and sign the Antwerp Declaration here: antwerp-declaration.eu

AEGIS Europe & industriAll Europe warn about the gloomy future of manufacturing in Europe and propose ways to combat growing deindustrialisation and ensure good industrial jobs in the EU

Brussels, 21 March 2024 - Today, AEGIS Europe and industriAll Europe jointly hosted their event Manufacturing Europe’s Future: How to combat growing deindustrialisation and ensure good industrial jobs? to debate the pressing issue of Europe's rapidly declining industrial output and the need for strategic action to revitalise the manufacturing sector and secure jobs in Europe. The representatives of the industry and trade unions were happy to welcome DG GROW’s Director General Kerstin Jorna & DG TRADE’s Deputy Director General Leopoldo Rubinacci and about 150 participants.

EU manufacturing industries sound the alarm about de-industrialisation: a call to action after the SOTEU address

Brussels, 15 September 2023 –  In the wake of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union address, AEGIS Europe, an alliance representing over 20 European manufacturing associations and companies across various industries, sounds an urgent alarm about the deteriorating state of the European Union's manufacturing sector. “Unfair trade practices are on the rise, creating an uneven playing field for EU businesses, while the Union's response completely underestimates the urgency of the situation. The very foundation of our economy, EU manufacturing, is under severe threat because of the twin threats of the sky rocketing energy prices and unfair trade[1] ” commented Inès Van Lierde, co-chair of AEGIS Europe. Read our press release here.

[1] For more details on the AEGIS Europe position please refer to our policy documents here and here.

European industry representatives debate possible pathways to counter deindustrialisation

Brussels, 31 March 2023 – AEGIS Europe had a speaking slot at the event Revitalising Europe’s Industrial Might: Pathways to Counter Deindustralisation, at the European Parliament Forum on Fair Competition in International Trade and Law Enforcement hosted by MEPs Iuliu Winkler and Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández.  Other speakers included representatives from BusinessEurope, UNIFE and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The debate was moderated by Andrew Bounds, the Financial Times EU correspondent. The speakers highlighted the current existential challenges facing the European manufacturing sector and in particular high energy costs and unfairly traded imports. DG TRADE's Deputy Director General Leopoldo Rubinacci intervened on behalf of the Commission. Read our press release here.

The Critical Raw Materials and Net-Zero Industry Acts need crucial improvements to support industries that are critical for EU’s strategic autonomy

Brussels, 20 March 2023 - The manufacturing alliance AEGIS Europe welcomes the publication of the Net Zero Industry and Critical Raw Materials Acts, two important legislative proposals meant to reinforce the industrial basis needed to achieve the European Green Deal and REPowerEU objectives. “Bearing in mind the initiatives taken by the US (i.e. Inflation Reduction Act), Japan (i.e. Green Transformation Programme) and China (i.e. latest Year Plan), our members acknowledge the importance of the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Net-Zero Industry Act. However, the EU proposals need further improvement and must be fully complementary with one another in order to be able to really support the European industry in their pledge to decarbonise and do away with third country dependencies,” commented Inès Van Lierde, co-chair of AEGIS Europe. Read our press release here.

Trilogue outcome on CBAM & ETS leaves EU without proper export solution or strong anti-circumvention rules

Brussels, 20 December 2022 – The manufacturing alliance AEGIS Europe is disappointed at the outcome of the agreement reached by the institutions during the political trilogue on CBAM & ETS.  “The decision-makers failed to adopt a CBAM tool that addresses EU industry’s main concerns while delivering on the overachieving climate goals. The interests of the European industry and the millions of jobs it represents have not been properly considered,” commented Inès Van Lierde, Chair of AEGIS Europe. Read our press release here.

Report on effectiveness of EU’s Trade Defence Instruments highlights more must be done to counter market distortions caused by dumping and subsidisation

Brussels, 16 September 2022 – AEGIS Europe, an alliance of over 20 manufacturing industries, published its first annual Report reviewing the functioning of the European Union Trade Defence Instruments (TDI). The Report shows that important improvements were made to address unfair trade practices by third countries but argues that there is still room for significant improvement, particularly regarding support for SMEs and the application of the lesser duty rule. Read our press release here.

Chinese state-owned companies will continue to distort the EU market if foreign subsidies tool does not include goods

Brussels, 1 July 2022 – AEGIS Europe, an alliance representing over 20 key European manufacturing industries and companies, has welcomed the European Commission's proposal for an instrument to address foreign subsidies, which distort the Single Market. Our industries, from commodities to downstream products, perceive it as a tool meant to finally level the playing field. Read our press release here.

With its vote on the CBAM regulation, the European Parliament fails to deliver a bullet-proof carbon leakage tool

Brussels, 23 June 2022 – Following the European Parliament’s Plenary vote on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the manufacturing alliance AEGIS Europe expresses its disappointment about the outcome of the vote. The interests of the European industry and the millions of jobs it represents have been completely disregarded. But the effects on climate of the agreement reached in the Parliament should also be approached with a healthy dose of skepticism. Read our press release here.

The ENVI approach to CBAM threatens: millions of jobs, EU exports and investment in the EU. Viable solutions are available

Brussels, 19 May 2022 – Following the ENVI report on the European Commission’s proposal for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and ahead of the vote in European Parliament’s plenary, AEGIS Europe, one of the largest industrial alliances in Europe, is unanimous in voicing  concerns. The proposal to phase out ETS free allowances before 2030 but to do nothing for EU exports is particularly worrying. Read our press release here.

AEGIS Europe welcomes the EU Council’s call for export adjustments and progress on free allowance phase-out alongside CBAM

Brussels, 31 March 2022 - AEGIS Europe shares the Council’s view that progress should be made on the revision of the Emission Trading System (ETS), before negotiations on a Carbon Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) with the EU Parliament can begin. AEGIS Europe also supports the EU Council statement that EU legislators need to “seek solutions to deal with the adverse effects of the introduction of the CBAM on exports”. Read our press release here.

AEGIS Europe urges the Commission not to suspend all trade defence measures because of the war

Brussels, 22 March 2022 – Suspending trade defence measures across the board undermines the EU’s open-autonomy strategy. EU markets are already open as trade defence does not close them. Autonomy, on the other hand, will be the first victim of suspensions as EU industries will be exposed to distorted competition. The war in Ukraine has not stopped unfair trade. Read our press release here.

AEGIS Europe welcomes the agreement on the International Procurement Instrument (IPI) under the French Presidency of the Council of the EU

Brussels, 18 March 2022 – AEGIS Europe applauds the agreement on the new rules aimed at promoting reciprocity in access to international public procurement markets. Read our press release here.

AEGIS Europe welcomes outcome of INTA Committee vote on CBAM

Brussels, 1 March 2022 – AEGIS Europe welcomes the vote against an opinion on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) proposal by the INTA Committee of the European Parliament. The envisaged compromise amendments would have failed to address the EU industry's concerns about carbon leakage. Read our press release here.

AEGIS Europe urges lawmakers to adopt a clear and effective tool against Foreign Subsidies

Brussels, 28 February 2022 - AEGIS Europe welcomes the Commission's proposal for an instrument to address foreign subsidies (FSI) which have distortive effects in the Single Market. However, its scope remains unclear as it appears that it only applies to service sectors. European manufacturing industries need a robust and clear tool to counteract the distortive effects of foreign subsidies. Read our press release here.

European Parliament event on CBAM highlights WTO compatibility of free allowances and export adjustments

Brussels, 9 February 2022 – AEGIS Europe welcomes the arguments presented yesterday at the event Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism: EU’s climate ambition, carbon leakage and WTO rules compliance, organised by the EP Forum Fair Competition & International Trade. Read our press release here.

AEGIS Europe calls for greater certainty and clarity on the suspension of trade defence measures

Brussels, 20 December 2021 – AEGIS Europe welcomes the cases lodged on 17 December by European Aluminium against the suspension of the anti-dumping duties imposed by the Commission on aluminium flat-rolled products and the non-collection of provisional duties. Read our press release here.

AEGIS Europe calls for a final agreement on the International Procurement Instrument (IPI) under the French Presidency of the Council of the EU

Brussels, 16 December 2021 – AEGIS Europe applauds the official start of the trilogue negotiations on the International Procurement Instrument (IPI) today, following the agreement by the European Parliament on a final position in plenary on 14 December. Read our press release here.

AEGIS Europe opposes the Commission's approach on the suspension of trade defence measures

Brussels, 15 October 2021 – AEGIS Europe calls out the European Commission for undermining the EU's "assertive trade policy" by suspending trade defence measures. The industry alliance warns the Commission's contradictory approach undermines business confidence and jeopardises EU investments into decarbonisation. Read our press release here.