On 1 October, Business & Science Poland(BSP) organised a high-level debate in Brussels entitled “A Clean IndustrialDeal:  What's in it for industry? What's in it for climate?”. The main objectiveof the event was the European Commission’s upcoming “Clean Industrial Deal”, which will aim to integrate climateprotection measures with significant support for the EU economy.

The event provided a platform to exchange viewson the “Clean Industrial Deal” between different stakeholders includingEuropean and Polish decision makers, industry, think tanks and tech groups. During the event, invited speakers,including Arkadiusz Pluciński, Deputy Head of the PermanentRepresentation of Poland to the UE, Kurt Vandenberghe, Director General,DG CLIMA, European Commission, Andrzej Szydło, CEO, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., Sonia Buchholtz, Director, Forum Energii, and Magdalena Jabłońska, CEO, Foundation for TechnologyEntrepreneurship, discussed what should be included in the document to ensure astable future for European industry, while contributing to a significantincrease in the competitiveness of the European economy.

“We are encouraged to hear that top Europeanpolicymakers are committing to more meaningful engagement with the businesscommunity. We take these declarations seriously, as such dialogue is essentialfor ensuring legitimacy and providing a political reality check in thepolicymaking process. The high turnout at our event demonstrates the stronginterest in this conversation, and we are committed to facilitating thisdialogue to ensure the voice of industry is heard loud and clear.”, said Bartek Czyczerski, CEOat Business & Science Poland.

At the event, Business & Science Polanddistributed its policy paper “Addressing the real needs of a transformingeconomy is key to the success of the Clean Industrial Deal” LINK, in which itpresents the views of the members of the BSP on what should be done to adopteffective economic policies that improve the prospects of European industry andensure the success of decarbonization in Europe. Among several requests, BSPunderlines the importance of securing technology neutrality, support forenergy-intensive sectors, financial support, dialogue with industry andsimplification of investment processes.

The conference was opened by ArkadiuszPluciński, Deputy Head of the Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU,who underlined that the new political cycle presents the EU with an opportunityto introduce new policies and tools to address the key challenges Europe isfacing. He also stressed that the EU still has a chance to take a pro-growthpath while achieving the goals of the green transition, however achieving thisbalance will require a shift in the approach of EU institutions, encouragingthem to pay more attention to the genuine challenges and needs of differentstakeholders and Member States and key industrial sectors that are vital forensuring EU competitiveness.

During the discussion that followed the keynotespeech, Kurt Vandenberghe, Director General, DG CLIMA, EuropeanCommission, presented the priorities of the European Commission in the comingyears in the context of clean transition and explained what the CleanIndustrial Deal is going to focus on and how it fits into the agreed frameworkof the European Green Deal. Mr. Vandenberghe underlined that in the next 5years, the Commission will focus more on implementation rather than introducingnew legislation.

Andrzej Szydło, representing the mining industry (KGHM Polska Miedź S.A), stressed that the Clean Industrial Deal should not only focus onecological aspects but also on economic ones. He underlined that there is a growingpressure on industries to meet climate goals. While it’s essential to takeaction, the EU needs to find a balance to avoid harming key sectors likemining, which is vital for Europe’s economy. In addition, he emphasized thatfinancing the transformation at a European level should have a long-termperspective and should rely more on private funds than public funds.

In the context of the upcoming Clean IndustrialDeal, Forum Energii, a Polish think tank specializing in the energytransformation of the industry, recently published a report "NewIndustrial Order 2024+. How to reasonably modernize Polish industry?". Sonia Buchholtz, who was representing the think tank, emphasized that themodernization of the industrial sector is a complex process, encompassingthousands of industrial processes. It was noted that reducing emissions fromthe industrial sector cannot be accomplished solely by following global trendswithout deeper reflection on Polish realities and the significance ofindividual industrial sectors in the Polish economy. She as well underlines theimportance of financial support by saying that “the future shape anddistribution of climate-related funds are critical. Eastern European countries,including Poland, are at a disadvantage compared to their Western counterparts.How these funds are allocated will significantly influence their impact and howthey are perceived by different regions”.

The topic of innovation was also present duringthe event. Magdalena Jabłońska, CEO, Foundation for TechnologyEntrepreneurship, presented ideas for increasing the competitiveness of Polishand European industry against global competitors by investing in thedevelopment of innovative solutions in technologies supporting cleantransformation. She also underlined that “one of the main barriers toinnovation in Central Europe is the lack of infrastructure for testing newtechnologies. Ambitious startups require facilities to prove their businesscases. Without the ability to demonstrate viability, it’s difficult to attractthe funding needed for growth”.

The event was followed by a cocktail receptionand a live music concert organised to celebrate the 20^th anniversaryof Poland’s accession to the European Union.

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