Delivering an inclusive digital and green transition of Europe’s industry is crucial for EU’s cohesion and climate ambitions. The EU’s policy to increase the manufacturing of net-zero industry technologies has an enormous impact on regions and cities. Specific challenges of regional and local economies and communities need to be taken into account to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and productivity and at the same time avoid growing territorial disparities.
The preparedness and resilience of local and regional authorities (LRAs) for the green and digital transition is a key factor for the sustainability of public services in the era of growing dependence on net-zero technologies and critical raw materials. The future of Europe's competitiveness strongly relies on the development of technologies that make the sustainable transition possible and ensure a European net-zero economy.
CoR members adopted the opinion on the Net-Zero Industry Act, which welcomes the proposal to improve the investment climate for net-zero technology in Europe and stresses that regions would benefit enormously from more investment certainty, better policy coordination and a reduced administrative burden. LRAs are often directly affected by the measures proposed in the Act. It is therefore necessary to take a more pragmatic and wider approach so that the scope of the Act covers not only innovative net-zero technologies, but also the corresponding supply and value chains across borders. As local and regional authorities carry out procurement procedures and promote training and reskilling on net-zero technologies, it is crucial to involve them in the Net-Zero Europe Platform, in One Stop Shops and European Net-Zero Industry Academies.
Rapporteur Mark Speich (DE/EPP), State Secretary for Federal, European and International Affairs and Media, said on the margins of the plenary: “The NZIA aims to improve conditions for net-zero investments. It will streamline permit-granting processes. Since the law intervenes in many areas subject to regional competences, the sub-national level must be actively involved. Equally important is that the entire value chain and all suppliers are included. Net-zero will not be available without the steel or the chemical industry – just to mention a few. It must be ensured that net-zero investments are not contradicted by other pieces of EU legislation. EU legislation must be coherent!”
Background:
The European Commission published its proposal for a Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) on 16 March. The proposal is part of the Green Deal Industrial Plan, whose overall goal is to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's net-zero industry and accelerate the transition towards climate neutrality. The NZIA aims to scale up clean-tech manufacturing in the EU with the ambition that the EU's strategic net-zero tech manufacturing capacity should reach at least 40% of the Union's annual deployment needs by 2030. ’Net-zero’ refers to technologies and investments that contribute to reducing or neutralising carbon emissions in a scientifically proven manner, reaching thresholds set by the Paris Climate Agreement.