French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire spoke at the Rencontre des entrepreneurs de France (REF) organized by Medef to call for the evolution of European economic rules to shape the European Union in “great economic continent” competing with global economic powers China and the United States.

In an impassioned tone, Bruno Le Maire declared: “Europe can be a great economic continent of the 21st century^thousand century with a carbon-free, fair, unified economic model more enviable than the centralized Chinese model or the American model. » Focusing on decarbonization and social justice, he emphasized the vision of a united and progressive Europe.

Is Europe back on the scene?

Taking the opportunity to business leaders gathered at the Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, Bruno Le Maire stressed that Europe must seize the opportunities offered by generative artificial intelligence and step up its efforts to decarbonize its economy in the face of the challenges of climate change. He insisted that it was time for Europe to compete with America and China on the world economic stage, protecting European interests..

The mayor also pointed to the need to review trade and investment rules in Europe. “Let’s change European rules to promote European content, European production, European technology and European employment”, – he begged enthusiastically. He called for a radical transformation of standards and regulations to encourage innovation and competitiveness.

The automotive industry is at the center of a new battle

The Minister of Economy also touched on the issue of subsidies for electric cars, expressing the wish that such assistance be tied to environmental criteria. He spoke about the desire to limit Chinese imports with this measure. However, he highlighted the complexity of this approach, explaining the challenges to existing European standards that prevent the flexibility needed to protect European interests.

Remember that China and the United States have introduced protectionist measures, encouraging the purchase of cars produced on their territory. In Europe, things are a bit more complicated, even if Macron’s government wants to introduce a bonus indexed to a car’s overall carbon footprint from 2024.

This is a thinly disguised way of promoting the purchase of electric cars produced in Europe by subsidizing them, at the same time depriving electric cars made on the other side of the world of these advantages. But Chinese manufacturers found a trick: to make their car for the European market in Europe. MG will soon open a plant on the Old Continent, as will BYD.

Read also:
• Trucks of the future: electric or hydrogen?
• Tesla: the first copy of the Semi was delivered
• Renault Trucks will release new electric trucks