The Antwerp Declaration Community has called on European Union leaders to adopt emergency measures in response to the deepening competitiveness crisis of European industry. The appeal was addressed to heads of state and government ahead of the European Council meeting in Alden Biesen, which is to focus, among other things, on the situation of industry and the implementation of policies related to industrial and climate transition. The signatories expect this to be the moment when coordinated actions are adopted to rebuild the competitive advantages of the European economy and safeguard high-quality jobs, including in the plastics and packaging sector, which is an important element of industrial value chains in Europe.
The Antwerp Declaration Community represents more than 1,300 companies, industry associations and trade unions from across Europe. These entities jointly demand decisive and coordinated action from EU leaders to restore industrial competitiveness, translate industrial and climate policy objectives into tangible results in production plants and ensure a predictable regulatory environment for industrial investment. The expected time frame for the first measurable results is 2026.
European Industry Summit with participation of EU representatives
The appeal of the Antwerp Declaration Community was presented during the European Industry Summit, which brought together more than 500 business leaders and 30 factory workers from various sectors. The event was attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which underlined the importance of the debate on the future of industry in Europe. The summit was held under the auspices of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker Senior and other EU leaders.
The meeting was also attended by European Commission Executive Vice Presidents Teresa Ribera and Stéphane Séjourné and Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra. Their presence was intended to highlight the political significance of the deepening competitiveness crisis of European industry and the need to develop a joint response to the cost, regulatory and investment challenges faced by companies in the Member States.
Expectations towards the Alden Biesen meeting
The Antwerp Declaration Community is calling on EU leaders to make the Alden Biesen meeting a turning point at which Europe commits to implementing bold and coordinated measures to support industry. In particular, this concerns actions aimed at restoring the competitiveness of industrial companies on the global market and ensuring high-quality jobs for future generations of European workers. It was emphasised that the effects of these measures should be felt in production plants as early as 2026.
During the summit, industry representatives addressed a clear message to EU institutions and Member States on the sector's key needs. The focus was on the need to translate policy objectives, including the so-called Clean Industrial Deal, into concrete solutions implemented at factory level. These demands include, among other things, stable and predictable regulatory frameworks, support for production investments and conditions that favour maintaining industrial activity in Europe in the face of strong global competition.
In the context of the plastics, packaging and chemicals industries, which are particularly sensitive to energy costs, regulatory pressure and investment requirements linked to environmental transition, these demands are directly relevant to maintaining production continuity, modernising installations and developing innovative material solutions. Participants at the European Industry Summit stressed the need to provide conditions under which companies can engage in long-term planning, implement investment projects and at the same time meet the ambitious climate targets set at EU level.
