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☆ Analysis: A year on, Europe less fearful of U.S. green subsidies push
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Jan Strupczewski | Thomson Reuters | Jan Is The Acting Bureau Chief In Brussels. He Has Been Covering European Union Policy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Solar panels are seen atop a hops plantation in the Bavarian Holledau region in Au, Germany, June 19, 2023. And already, those subsidies are flowing: German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp (TKAG.DE) will invest around 3 billion euros ($3.27 billion) in a proposed green steel plant in Duisburg, Germany, including over 2 billion euros in state subsidies given EU approval in late July. But it noted the U.S. model also had uncertainty built in because a change of administration could end IRA subsidies. The complexity of EU financing through the recovery fund means it is available only to bigger companies, leaving smaller firms struggling to benefit. ($1 = 0.9184 euros)Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; editing by Mark John and Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Louisa, Joe Biden's, Biden, Niclas Poitiers, Jan Strupczewski, Mark John, Susan Fenton Organizations: REUTERS, United States, Union, Biden, EU, Zero Industry, European Commission, Sovereignty Fund, Ukraine, Russian, EV, Zero, Thomson Locations: Bavarian, Au, Germany, EU, BRUSSELS, United, Europe, Ukraine, Brussels, United States, Duisburg, U.S, France, China

☆ Explainer: Why the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act has rattled Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 1 (Reuters) - The European Commission presented its Green Deal Industrial Plan on Wednesday in response to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), with increased levels of state aid to help Europe compete as a manufacturing hub for clean tech products. The Treasury is set to provide guidelines in March for electric vehicles bought by consumers, but there appears less room for manoeuvre. The European Commission and the White House have set up a high-level task force to discuss the issue. France has led calls for Europe to respond with state support of its own for European companies, including through a "buy European act" and large-scale subsidies. Longer term, the European Commission says it will propose a European Sovereignty Fund, but it is unclear how it will operate and how it will be funded.

"Major economies are rightly stepping up investment in net zero industries," von der Leyen told a news conference. And we want to be an important part of this net-zero industry that we need globally," von der Leyen said. RESISTANCEThe European Commission is hoping member states will back its plan at a Feb.9-10 summit but it faces a hot debate. Solar sector industry group SolarPower Europe said it was concerned by what it called a "lack of focus" on specific technologies in the EU plan. The bloc is heavily reliant on China for rare earths and lithium, which are vital materials for the green transition.

The plan is partly a response to multi-billion-dollar support programmes of China and the United States, including the latter's Inflation Reduction Act. Many EU leaders are concerned that the local content requirements of its $369 billion of green subsidies will encourage companies to relocate, making the United States a leader in green tech at Europe's expense. RESISTANCEThe European Commission is hoping member states will back its plan at a Feb.9-10 summit but huge chunks are likely to be hotly debated among member states. There is also clear opposition from some EU members to previous suggestions that the plan could entail further joint borrowing. The bloc is heavily reliant on China for rare earths and lithium, which are vital materials for the green transition.

The plan is partly a response to multi-billion-dollar support programmes of China and the United States, including the latter's Inflation Reduction Act. Many EU leaders are concerned that the local content requirements of its $369 billion of green subsidies will encourage companies to relocate, making the United States a leader in green tech at Europe's expense. Longer term, the Commission will propose creating a European Sovereignty Fund to invest in emerging technologies. The bloc is heavily reliant on China for rare earths and lithium, which are vital materials for the green transition. The EU executive also wants to seal more free trade agreements and partnerships to make supply chains more resilient and to open markets for green goods.

FASTER PERMITSClean tech firms could be in line for simpler rules and fast-tracked permits to build production facilities in Europe. The EU executive said it would produce a "Net-Zero Industry Act" offering faster permits to manufacturers of technologies key to its climate goals. That could include carbon capture and storage, renewable energy, renewable hydrogen production facilities and batteries. Brussels had already slashed the time lines and simplified the rules for renewable energy projects last year. The Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, wants to increase the EU's network of trade agreements, such as those concluded with Chile, Mexico, New Zealand and Mercosur and one it aims to agree with Australia.

☆ Europe unveils $270 billion response to US green subsidies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Stung by the Biden administration’s huge green subsidy program, the European Union unveiled plans for its own “Green Deal” Wednesday to cut red tape and deliver tax breaks. The proposals, which will be debated by EU leaders next week, would make €250 billion ($272 billion) available from existing EU funds for the greening of industry, including offering tax breaks to businesses investing in net-zero technologies. EU leaders are worried that tax breaks for American companies, which amount to $270 billion, will disadvantage European firms and lure them to the United States. In a document detailing its new green industry plan, the European Commission also fingered China, saying it has provided green subsidies at a level twice as high as those in the European Union, relative to GDP. “Europe and its partners must do more to combat the effect of such unfair subsidies and prolonged market distortion,” it added.

Instead, the draft seen by Reuters offers to re-purpose some of the money the EU has already agreed to raise jointly for its post-coronavirus pandemic recovery fund. It will also loosen state aid rules to allow governments to support their firms more. GREEN TRANSITIONThe Recovery Fund already earmarks 250 billion euros in total to be spent on the transition to a green and sustainable economy. But an additional 225 billion euros in the Recovery Fund has not even been claimed by any country because these are cheap loans and governments prefer grants. The Commission said governments will now be able to use these unclaimed loans for green industry support, along with a 5.4 billion euro reserve in the EU budget created to counter the effects of Brexit.

☆ Seven EU countries oppose new EU funding as response to U.S. subsidy plan - letter
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Jan Strupczewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Plans by the European Commission to create new European Union funding for the green industry are facing mounting opposition in the 27-nation bloc, as seven EU countries openly rejected the idea in a letter to the EU executive. The letter, seen by Reuters and dated Jan. 26, was signed by the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Ireland, Estonia and Slovakia and addressed to the European Commission vice president responsible for trade, Valdis Dombrovskis. All 10 countries say the EU should be using funds already approved instead of seeking more money. But in their letter, the seven countries said the EU should first spend the money it had already agreed to raise through the 800 billion euro post-pandemic recovery and resilience fund (RRF) of grants and cheap loans. "We have to ensure that the economy can better absorb the already agreed EU funding," the seven countries wrote.

☆ EU debt fears hinder U.S. green subsidies riposte
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Rebecca Christie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

That ties von der Leyen’s hands. Since September, von der Leyen has been pushing a “solidarity fund” to offset the imbalances that could arise out of freer-flowing EU subsidies. To move ahead, von der Leyen will just have to scatter some seeds and see what grows. Follow @rebeccawire on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave a Jan. 17 speech at Davos on her forthcoming green technology strategy. Von der Leyen has since September been advocating for a “solidarity fund” to help smaller countries keep up with their bigger, richer peers.

☆ Davos 2023: Key takeaways from the World Economic Forum
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/4] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Poland's President Andrzej Duda and Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland take part in the World Economic Forum session on "Restoring Security and Peace. REUTERS/Arnd WiegmannDAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Global leaders and business executives departed a freezing World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting on Friday after a frank exchange of views over how the world will tackle its biggest issues in 2023. Here's what we learned:ECONOMY: Gloom and doom heading into Davos turned into cautious optimism by the end with the global economic outlook for the year ahead looking better than feared. On the inside, political leaders like Kier Starmer railed against new oil investments and Pakistani climate minister Sherry Rehman pushed for loss and damage funding. The lesson I have learned in the last years ... is money, money, money, money, money, money, money."

☆ Northvolt says 'believes in Germany', battery plant talks ongoing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Victoria Waldersee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Northvolt believes in Germany as an industrial location and continues discussions on building a battery plant there, it said on Wednesday amid speculation that the Swedish battery maker could divert its planned investment to the United States. There are certain requirements in order to make this feasible in competition with the United States," Nicolas Steinbacher, Head of Strategy and Program for Northvolt in Germany, said at a battery conference in Berlin. "We are working together with the government in a spirit of trust to solve these challenges," he added. The company is holding fortnightly citizen consultations in Heide in northern Germany, where it signed a memorandum of understanding with the state of Schleswig-Holstein in 2022 for a possible battery plant. Reporting by Victoria Waldersee; Editing by Christoph Steitz and Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Davos 2023: What you need to know about the WEF on Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Kathryn Lurie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The European Union will counter the U.S.'s game-changing Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), described in Davos as the most significant climate legislation since the 2015 Paris Agreement, with its own green deal. Liu's visit to Davos contrasts with the conspicuous absence of Russia, a key ally whose invasion of Ukraine China has refused to condemn. What was most needed, Kerry said, was "money, money, money, money, money, money, money." The slopes continued to be dominated by discussions about Davos' hottest topic in 2023 - Chat GPT and generative AI. For daily Davos updates in your inbox sign up for the Reuters Daily Briefing hereEditing by Leela de Kretser and Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The EU is concerned that European companies will move to the United States, which has a $369 billion scheme to subsidise green production. The EU will therefore provide money for its industry as well, von der Leyen said. "To keep European industry attractive, there is a need to be competitive with the offers and incentives that are currently available outside the EU," she said. For the medium term, we will prepare a European Sovereignty Fund as part of the mid-term review of our budget later this year," von der Leyen said. She said the Commission was now working on what the needs of the green industry were.

☆ Portugal wants EU green tech package to ensure level playing field
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The European Union's response to the United States' stimulus package for green tech investments should use financing instruments that ensure equality between all members instead of favouring the bloc's most industrialised nations, Portugal's finance minister said on Tuesday. Brussels is concerned that European companies will increasingly move to the United States, which has a $369 billion scheme to subsidise green production. "But it has to be implemented through European mechanisms that ensure equality within the European space," he added. "The smaller European countries cannot lose to the larger countries in an internal competition that would not make sense to open at this moment," he said. Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; Editing by David Latona and Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU announces new green proposals to rival Biden's Inflation Reduction Act
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The announcement comes just months after the U.S. launched its own Inflation Reduction Act. "The EU continues to seek similar, non-discriminatory treatment of EU clean vehicle producers under the Clean Vehicle Credits of the Inflation Reduction Act. This scheme remains of concern to the EU, as it contains discriminatory provisions," the European Commission said in a statement in late December. While discussions with the U.S. continue, von der Leyen wants to cut red tape in Europe and step up green investments. But as this will take some time, we will look at a bridging solution to provide fast and targeted support where it is most needed," von der Leyen said in Davos.

☆ France to push for 'Made in Europe' strategy at Feb EU summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Jan Strupczewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, Jan 16 (Reuters) - France wants the European Union to adopt a "Made in Europe" industrial strategy in response to the U.S. scheme of subsidies for green investment, to keep industrial firms from leaving Europe and reduce members' dependence on outside suppliers. "The implementation of an ambitious and robust European industrial policy is therefore essential today. The French authorities propose that it take the form of a 'Made in Europe' strategy," France said in a paper seen by Reuters. The French paper called for urgent measures in particular to retain Europe companies involved in solar panels, batteries, hydrogen and critical raw materials, noting the "Made in Europe" strategy should be based on four pillars. The third pillar should be EU funding for sensitive sectors, which would help equalise the uneven fiscal power for supporting industries among EU countries.

☆ EU leaders head for tussle over rescue plans for industry
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( John Chalmers | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed ahead of the summit to loosen state aid rules in renewable energy and clean-tech to shield European industry. "Some governments have deep pockets and extensive possibilities to support their industry through national schemes, others have not," said one senior EU diplomat. "We don't want a national subsidy race among member states ... but there have to be carefully drafted limits." This has been held up by disagreement over whether or how to offer exemptions for an EU ban on Russia fertiliser exports. A draft of the summit conclusions said leaders would call for more gas deals urgently to replace Russian fuel, including through joint gas buying among EU countries.

☆ EU angst over “Buy American” reopens old wounds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Rebecca Christie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The European Commission is the main gatekeeper on state aid, which the EU limits to protect fair competition in the single market. Von der Leyen’s plan might let it decide which champions are deserving in the first place. The free spending has sparked concerns of a handout war with other European countries, particularly given the EU’s recent focus on fiscal discipline. Von der Leyen wants to create a central pot of money to provide catch-up funds to smaller countries. Relaxing EU state aid rules fairly won’t be easy, and Europe will need a clearer industrial policy beyond handing out cash.

☆ Germany says borrowing more money to compete with the U.S. would be a 'threat' to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS — Germany said Europe should refrain from borrowing more money to compete with U.S. green subsidies or its competitiveness will be threatened. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday "new and additional funding at the EU level" will be needed to make European companies more competitive in the transition to a greener economy. "There are some parts of Ursula von der Leyen initiative which [need] to be further debated, especially her proposal of [a] European sovereignty fund. However, they indicate where the commission believes the bloc should go to be in a better position to compete with the United States. "We have all heard the stories of producers that are considering to relocate future investment from Europe to the U.S.," von der Leyen said Sunday.

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