The European Lime Association and the Industrial Minerals Association Europe, together with 90 EU associations representing the manufacturing industries, have co-signed the Joint declaration of an EU industrial policy.
Between 2000 and 2014, the share of manufacturing in total EU output fell from 18.8% to 15.3%. Between 2008 and 2014, 3.5 million manufacturing jobs were lost. It is essential that the European Commission act and helps the EU remain a competitive global industrial power.
The Joint declaration represents a diverse range of sectors, and calls on the European Commission to reaffirm its commitment to reaching the target of 20% GDP from industry; adopt an Action Plan to address the challenges faced by the industrial sectors, and commit to implementing this Action Plan in a timely manner, with regular reports on its progress.