Henrike Hahn, member of the European Parliament (The Greens/EFA), member of the Industry Committee (ITRE), industrial policy speaker and deputy head of the German Green Delegation, comments on today's vote by the Industry Committee (ITRE) on the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA):

“The Net Zero Industry Act aims to boost the transition to a net zero economy by 2050, to enhance competitiveness and to create green, high-quality jobs across the EU.

Removing bureaucratic hurdles and investment barriers as well as targeted support for key green sectors are important steps for a competitive green industrial policy.

Today's vote by the Industry Committee has been a step back compared to the Commission's proposal on the NZIA: The ITRE committee has deleted the concept of "strategic technologies" and expanded the list of net-zero technologies in a way that virtually any technology can benefit from recognition as part of strategic projects - including nuclear technology.

While the EU Industrial Committee explicitly excluded nuclear energy in the form of small modular reactors in its industrial strategy for Europe, the NZIA is now inconsistently resorting to expensive nuclear dinosaur technology - even though we should have been one step further with the Green Deal by now. Successful green competitive EU industrial policy needs a clear focus on strategically important technologies rather than including everything irrespective of needs and sense. Industrial policy in Europe needs bold steps forward - not backwards.

The Commission proposal rightly recognizes key technologies such as solar and wind energy, batteries and heat pumps as strategic technologies that contribute to achieving our 2030 climate and energy goals. In these key technologies lies the future of Europe for affordable, secure energy, green technology and job creation.“

 

Background:

The European Parliament's Industry Committee (ITRE) today adopted the draft report on the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA). The Net Zero Industry Act is part of the Green Industrial Plan and is intended to ensure that more clean technologies are produced in the EU.

 

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