Preserve our industrial capacities and protect Europe’s industrial workforce, now!

One year after the launch of the Antwerp Declaration, the signatories of the Declaration met in Antwerp to discuss the just published Clean Industrial Deal with Commission President, Ursula Von der Leyen. 

Ahead of the European Council meeting in March, the signatories call on the EU Heads of State to take urgent action to avoid deindustrialisation, across all Member States, and without any delay.

Europe’s industries are facing historical challenges: declining demand, stalled investments, reduced capacity, and EU gas prices at 4-5 times higher than its competitors. Between 2023 and 2024, Europe’s manufacturing output – a sector employing over 31 million people – dropped another 2.6%. The chemical industry announced that over 11 million tonnes of capacity closed between 2023-2024, affecting 21 major sites. The steel sector has lost 9 million tonnes of primary steel-making capacity. These losses of capacity mean losses of tens of thousands of jobs. Additionally, approximately 90,000 job losses have been announced in 2024 in the European automotive industry.

In February 2024, the Antwerp Declaration was presented to Commission President, Ursula Von der Leyen, setting out a common demand for a European Industrial Deal to address the situation. The Antwerp Declaration lays out 10 concrete actions to restore the business case for investments, to implement Europe’s sustainability ambitions and safeguard quality jobs in Europe.

It has now been signed by over 1300 signatories, including industriAll Europe and many national affiliates.

“IndustriAll Europe has a long-standing call for an ambitious European industrial plan, including social conditionalities on public funds, stronger social dialogue, training measures and a Just Transition legal framework. The current geopolitical context demonstrates the increased importance of European economic security and industrial sovereignty.

“We welcome that the new Commission has made industrial policy its top political priority. Today is an important milestone in making this a reality. However, industrial policy demands investment and coordination. Now political leaders must take up the baton and speed up key decisions. And trade unions must continue to be included at the table. 

“The six chapters of the Clean Industrial Deal are the right focus – we need to ensure that each priority is pursued with vigour to preserve our industrial capacities and protect the workforce right now!

“Fundamentally, our plants must have a business case to produce the clean, circular products that underpin the transition, in the energy framework and through lead markets. Demand-side measures and incentives are crucial to leverage the internal market, but always with social conditionalities attached,” said Michael Vassiliadis, industriAll Europe’s President.

IndustriAll Europe calls for ambitious European industrial policy, backed up by significant investments with social conditionalities. Urgent and strong measures are necessary to defend EU industrial and economic capacity, and to create and safeguard quality jobs.

President Von der Leyen also presented the European Commission’s Omnibus package during the high-level meeting in Antwerp.
A resilient industry goes hand in hand with responsible business conduct. Companies should not only focus on profit, but also take into account ecological and social challenges in their business strategy. 

The Omnibus proposal is downsizing the ambition and impact of important pieces of legislation in this field. Reducing the scope of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) by about 80% means that only large companies with more than 1000 employees will report in a transparent way on the social and ecological topics they qualify as important.

The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) is a long-debated compromise to make companies accountable for workers’ rights across the value chain. Also here, the Omnibus proposal introduces serious limitations. Enforcement and civil liability is reduced. Only direct suppliers need to be part of the risk management process. Indirect workers’ rights in the supply chain are not taken into account. All these examples show that the Omnibus proposal is not a simplification but a deregulation. Workers’ rights are not a cost or a burden. 

The trade union voice needs to be heard in the further process!

“This will make the difference between reality and rhetoric,” stated Judith Kirton-Darling, industriAll Europe General Secretary. “If job quality is not seen as a criterion in the European industrial plan and investment decisions, Europe will create new bottlenecks. We need a comprehensive approach.”

The Antwerp Declaration remains an urgent call to revitalise Europe’s industrial landscape. The shifting geopolitical plates make it ever more important.