Electra’ industries show great potential

Manufacturing industries - and in particular, Europe's electrical and electronic industries - have the potential to provide significant growth and employment in the EU, and provide solutions for today's most pressing societal issues. These are some of the conclusions of the EU's Competitiveness Council which convened at the end of May.

The Ministers called for better application of energy efficient technologies across the board - in homes and buildings, industry and transport and for the production, transmission and distribution of electricity.

The Council's conclusions will be incorporated into the European Commission's industrial policy, singling out the ‘electra' industries as one of the strategic technology areas of Europe. Orgalime secretary general Adrian Harris commented: "It took the economic crisis and the Commission's economic recovery plan to focus minds once again on the role that our industry, with the 11 million jobs it provides, plays in the economy of Europe. Now our companies are finally getting the recognition they deserve: these are the industries which come up with solutions for the issues we face today and tomorrow: employment, climate change, energy security and urbanisation."