The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, denounced Tuesday in Davos “
aggressive attempts
” aimed at attracting industrial capacities from Europe, in particular those related to clean energies, “
to China and elsewhere
”.
She attacked Beijing in particular, but also recalled the "
concerns
" aroused in Europe by the major investment plan for the climate of American President Joe Biden (Inflation Reduction Act, IRA), which provides for large amounts of aid for companies based in the United States in the electric vehicle or renewable energy sector.
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“
When trade is not fair, our reactions must be more vigorous
”, explained Ursula von der Leyen, during a speech delivered at the meeting organized by the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort, warning: “
We will not hesitate to open investigations if we believe that our markets (...) are distorted by such subsidies
”.
With regard more specifically to Beijing,
China openly encourages energy-intensive companies located in Europe and elsewhere to relocate all or part of their production to its territory, which they do with the promise of cheap energy, low labor costs work and a more accommodating regulatory environment.
At the same time, China massively subsidizes its industry and restricts access to its market for EU companies
,” she explained.
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However, she felt that "
we will still need to work and trade with China, especially to achieve this transition
" towards a cleaner and more climate-conscious industry.
In addition, Europe is cooperating with the United States “
to find solutions
”, for example to allow European companies or electric cars manufactured in the EU to benefit from the IRA.
“
Our goal should be to avoid any disruption in transatlantic trade and investment
,” she said.
