The new industrial strategy for Europe adopted in March 2020 announced the creation of an Industrial Forum as a new, inclusive and open mechanism for co-designing solutions with stakeholders. The Industrial Forum aims to support the Commission in its systematic analysis of the different industrial ecosystems and in assessing the different risks and needs of industry as it embarks on the twin digital and green transitions, and the strengthening of its resilience.
The Industrial Forum will also contribute to the recovery efforts, as a forum for EU countries and industry to exchange best practices aiming to transform industrial ecosystems. The Industrial Forum will offer a sounding board for stakeholders and showcase the state of European competitiveness – and the progress towards industrial transformation, bringing together the views of industrial stakeholders, public authorities, civil society organisations and investors.
Following an invitation to EU countries, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to nominate their representatives, and an open call for experts in December 2020, the forum was established in January 2021. It kicked off with its first meeting in February 2021.
The forum’s key tasks are
Industrial Forum in the Commission’s expert group register
The Industry 2030 High Level Industrial Roundtable was established by the European Commission in December 2017 to provide independent advice on future EU industrial policy action. It consisted of 20 experts representing small and big businesses, traditional and disruptive industries, trade unions, the innovation and research community, as well as finance and academia. In June 2019, after one and a half years of work, the group published its report with recommendations on future EU industrial policy strategy towards 2030.
The report (see below) sets out a vision of European industry in 2030 as a global leader, responsibly delivering value for society, the environment and the economy. Europe will build its competitive advantage on cutting-edge and breakthrough technologies, respect for our environment and biodiversity, investment in our people, and smart European and global alliances. Based on collaboration and our common European values, this new industrial model will help make Europe a role model for the rest of the world.
Turning the Industry 2030 vision into reality requires action and the collaboration of policy makers at all levels, industry stakeholders and broader civil society in Europe. The report identifies specific recommendations and game-changing actions that will help Europe better manage this fast and inclusive transformation, champion global competitiveness, and address social inclusiveness and values.
CEO of AVAESEN Valencian Region Renewable Energy Cluster
Professor, Director of TUM Munich School of Robotics and Machine Intelligence, and Chair of Robotics and System Intelligence
Full Professor of Economic Sciences, Cracow University of Economics
Founder Stellar Capacity AB, CEO Exponential AB
Head of Strategic Initiatives at SPRI, Basque Business Development Agency
Co-Founder and Partner of DareDisrupt
President and CEO of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
PhD, Venture Capital Investor
Senior VP Global Business and Technology Strategy, Samsung Electronics
Chair of the FME Board, Dutch employers’ organisation in the technology industry
Chairman of Slivosa, Vice-President of Bulgarian Chambers of Commerce
Member of the Board of Executive Directors, BASF SE
President of Orgalim and Senior Advisor to the Board of Fastems
Chairman and CEO of Marcegaglia Holding
CEO of 3P Biopharmaceuticals
President of SMEunited, Owner and General Manager of Rabmer Group
Chairman of the Supervisory Board of SNCF
The European Trade Union Confederation
Director, Strategic Development Operations of L'Oreal Group
Secretary General, IndustriAll
Factsheet on the Vision for Industry 2030
Industry 2030 High Level Industrial Roundtable in the Register of Commission expert groups
The objective of the strategic forum, which consisted of 45 members representing EU countries, industry and the research community, was to identify key strategic value chains in Europe and propose a common vision for joint actions and investments between the EU, member countries and industry.
These strategic value chains are interlinked and integrated industrial activities with great potential to contribute to Europe’s green and digital transformation, and to improve Europe’s industrial competitiveness. The forum analysed several European industrial value chains and selected 6 strategic value chains where further joint and coordinated efforts are needed
The strategic forum’s report, published in November 2019, identifies enabling actions for these strategic value chains, which range from joint investments, and consolidation of the single market through regulations and standards to the development of new skills. The report also calls for an agile governance process to monitor technological and industrial developments, to identify emerging strategic value chains and to monitor and evaluate the progress of work on these value chains.
Factsheet - Strengthening strategic value chains for an EU industry fit for the future
Strategic forum members and meetings
In November 2019, the High Level Group on Energy Intensive Industries published the masterplan on the transformation of EU energy intensive industries to enable a climate neutral, circular economy by 2050. The masterplan presents an integrated policy framework with recommendations to ensure that these industries can contribute to Europe’s 2050 climate-neutrality ambitions, while staying competitive.
The masterplan looks into
It also focuses on the need to ensure a just transition and considers the need to equip workers with new skills and help communities dependent on these industries to manage the transition.
The masterplan will feed into the Commission’s work on the European Green Deal and new EU industrial strategy.