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Sustainable Economy

The Belgian presidency of the Competitiveness Council has placed the integration of sustainable development as the overarching theme of its priorities for European industrial policy.

Minister Jean-Claude Marcourt will present this strategy during:

• the informal meeting of the Competitiveness Council’s industry cluster which will take place in Louvain la Neuve on 14 and 15 July 2010
• the meeting of the Competitiveness Council’s industry cluster which will take place on 11 October in Luxembourg and 25 and 26 November in Brussels

Sustainable industrial policy and companies’ competitiveness

In order to re-establish its competitiveness and re-start the Union on a path to sustainable growth, Europe has no other choice than to take immediate measures to pull out of the crisis and face the long-term challenges such as:

• Globalisation
• Climate change
• The aging population.

For European industry, the integration of sustainability criteria in production and consumption methods must become a competitive advantage on international markets.

Support for a sustainable industrial policy, a priority for the Belgian presidency, is consistent with:

• the European Commission’s new industrial policy presented in March 2010 in its document entitled “Time to act”,
• the “Action plan for sustainable production and consumption” drawn up by the Commission in 2008.

The Belgian presidency of the Competitiveness Council wants to implement this objective using the following levers:

1. Better access to innovation for SMEs
2. European clustering policies
3. Management of transformation and transition

 

Related events

Reshaping Europe: addressing societal challenges through entrepreneurship and innovation

Working closely with the European Commission, the Walloon Minister for the Economy will actively participate in the organisation of the Europe Innova Conference 2010 in Liège on 27, 28 and 29 October 2010.  The theme for Europe Innova 2010 will be: Reshaping Europe: addressing societal challenges through entrepreneurship and innovation

For more information about this event

The energy challenges facing European industry

The Walloon Minister for the Economy, Jean-Claude Marcourt, and the Federal Minister for the Environment and Energy will be organising a two-day conference on the topic: The energy challenges facing European industry. The conference will take place in APS on 16 and 17 September 2010.

For more information about this event

European industry in the face of industrial transformation

Today, restructuring and industrial transformation are seen as ongoing processes. Industry’s obligation to adapt to the European Union’s commitments in terms of climate change, the economic and financial crises and demographic developments requires a policy and practices which anticipate industrial change, together with strong management of industrial restructuring. The conference will take place in Seraing on 15 and 16 November 2010.