German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for a genuine deregulation mindset in the EU at the industry summit in Antwerp. He opposed French President Emmanuel Macron's plans to favor European products and advocated for a 'Made with Europe' approach. The event served as a prelude to an EU competitiveness summit.
On the evening before the EU competitiveness summit, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) called for a fresh start in European economic policy in Antwerp. 'Smaller corrections to laws are not enough. I demand a genuine deregulation mindset,' Merz said at the third 'European Industry Summit.' More than 70 top executives from energy-intensive industries met to present demands to EU leaders, including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Emmanuel Macron.
BASF CEO Markus Kamieth called for reducing bureaucratic rules: 'The overarching theme is and remains regulation.' He highlighted changed geopolitical realities and the dire situation of the chemical industry, which has not been this dramatic in over 25 years. Merz spoke of a return to great power politics and demanded a systematic review of EU legislation.
While Macron demands new EU debt for investments in industry and the future – 'We must invest in our future and our industry' –, the German government rejected this. Merz focused on business-friendly structural reforms to boost growth. On favoring European products, Merz contradicted Macron: 'Made in Europe' is too narrow; instead 'Made with Europe,' only for strategic sectors as a last resort.
Von der Leyen announced measures under the 'Clean Industrial Deal' to lower energy prices and reduce bureaucratic burdens, influenced by reports from Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi. The industry welcomes progress like the Mercosur agreement but criticizes that the goals of the 2024 Antwerp Declaration have not yet been achieved. Kamieth demanded relaxations in the Emissions Trading System (ETS), including avoiding a benchmark tightening from 2026, to prevent competitive disadvantages.
On Thursday, EU heads of state and government will discuss strengthening competitiveness at Alden Biesen Castle. Von der Leyen acknowledged: 'We must become faster.' Merz and Macron agreed that Europe is too slow.
