Leveraging industrial transformation power Speira signs Antwerp Declaration

“The factor for us to join the Antwerp Declaration is that it combines and supports the Green Deal and our business. We are part of the solution, and are committed to building a circular world that works. As industrial front-runner that shapes and drives transformation towards decarbonisation and circularity we are eager to work closely with EU and national legislators to build European framework conditions that increase global competitiveness for European industries. We believe in the power approaching and thinking commodity, energy, climate and industrial policy in an integrated way”, says Einar Glomnes. The CEO of leading European Aluminium roller and recycler Speira signed the Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal on 22 February 2024.

On 20 February 2024, about 70 European companies and organisations, predominantly from the energy-intensive industries, expressed their full support for a European Industrial Deal to complement the Green Deal and keep high quality jobs for European workers in Europe. Belgian PM Alexander De Croo, host of this Antwerp industry summit, clearly stated: “We need our industry for their innovation capacity. To come up with tomorrow’s climate solutions. That is why Europe should not only be a continent of industrial innovation, but should remain a continent of industrial production.”

The Antwerp Declaration calls to EU member state governments, the next European Commission and Parliament to put the industrial agenda at the core of the new European Strategic Agenda for 2024 to 2029. This means a comprehensive action plan to elevate competitiveness as strategic priority and create the conditions for a stronger business case in Europe. The action plan needs to include measures to eliminate regulatory incoherence, conflicting objectives, unnecessary complexity in legislation and over-reporting.

In ten claims the Declaration focuses on public funding, competitive costs of energy, infrastructure, raw materials security, boosting demand for net zero, low carbon and circular products, improvement of the single market, and a more entrepreneurial spirit of law-making. These claims are to be ensured by the installation of a First Vice-President responsible for the delivery of the European Industrial Deal in the next European Commission.

Other signatories related to Speira are the industry organizations EUROPEAN ALUMINIUM and WirtschaftsVereinigung Metalle.

Media contact:

Mauritz Faenger-Montag, Head of External Communications
T +49 2181 66-4918
E mauritz.faenger-montag@speira.com