European industry needs to rise

The document advocates for a 'Renaissance of Industry for a Sustainable Europe' (RISE) strategy, asserting that Europe's industrial competitiveness depends on a low-carbon transformation. The author proposes a four-pillar approach: an innovation and efficiency offensive (including energy efficiency feed-in tariffs and expanded ecodesign legislation), increased investment in R&D, leveraging the internal market for green demand, and enhancing workforce skills in STEM and vocational training. The author criticizes current EU financial frameworks for cutting strategic research and SME funding while calling for a specific 'Southern RISE' strategy to integrate Southern European economies into global value chains.

• The author contends that a low-carbon transformation is essential for Europe's future economic viability, arguing that the region will not remain competitive without it.
• A proposed 'Renaissance of Industry for a Sustainable Europe' (RISE) strategy is based on four pillars: an innovation and efficiency offensive, increased investment in R&D, the use of the internal market to drive demand for new technologies, and the development of a skilled labor force through STEM and vocational training.
• Specific policy tools suggested to drive efficiency include energy efficiency feed-in tariffs, eco-efficiency loans, and the expansion of ecodesign legislation to cover recyclability and resource efficiency. Ecofys estimates that ecodesign could save European consumers and businesses EUR 90 billion annually by 2020 and reduce natural gas imports from Russia by 23%.
• The author criticizes the European Council's multi-annual financial framework (MFF) for cutting strategic funding, specifically noting a 20 per cent cut to the SME financing programme COSME and significant hits to the Horizon 2020 research framework programme.
• The author proposes a 'Southern RISE' strategy to support the EU's South through smart specialisation, integration into global value chains, and EIB-funded microcredit programmes for SMEs.

APA

Bütikofer, R. (2013). European industry needs to rise. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/european-industry-needs-to-rise/

Chicago

Bütikofer, Reinhard. European industry needs to rise. Green European Journal, 2013. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/european-industry-needs-to-rise/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Bütikofer |first1=Reinhard |title=European industry needs to rise |publisher=Green European Journal |date=1 October 2013 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/european-industry-needs-to-rise/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{btikofer2013european, author = {Bütikofer, Reinhard}, title = {{European industry needs to rise}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2013}, month = oct, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/european-industry-needs-to-rise/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }