Ribera calls for twin transition to stay competitive globally

Brussels – Using the Green Deal as a lever for the all-new competitiveness required in a growing world is the purpose of the twin Green and Digital Transition challenge that the EU has been pursuing since the beginning of the last legislature, European Commission executive vice president Teresa Ribera, said in a European Parliament’s Employment Committee hearing. “The rest of the world is improving its expectations,” which are life expectations, quality of life, and economic growth. “It is normal that there is appetite for these countries,” and the EU must convince investors and businesses to stay in Europe.

To be able to do this and remain in the world spotlight, we must continue with the manufacturing process transformation agenda. “We need to bet on something to produce something new and more technological,” Ribera said. “The green and digital transition is just that.” It is not about building something new but converting what already exists. “Traditional industry, to be more competitive, has to de-carbonize.”

The call from the executive vice president in charge of Clean and Competitive Transition is, therefore, to keep pushing the EU agenda at all levels. “The Commission can help a lot, but the role of national and regional governments remains crucial” for the success of modernization strategies hinged on ecological and digital transformation.

In this collective effort, Brussels will continue to support the member states through the Sustainable Development Observatory control room, which is essential to monitor the progress of the European agenda. “We are talking about a transformation process that we have never had before, which is proceeding at an unprecedented speed,” Ribera said. “That’s why we created the observatory. The data is crucial,” as the entire agenda is not to be questioned. The message means to reassure those who fear that the competitiveness agenda with simplification goals may put everything back up for debate.