Finland: EU competitiveness ministers to discuss strategic autonomy

NordenBladet — An informal video meeting of the EU’s competitiveness ministers (internal market, industrial policy) on 22 March 2021 will discuss strategic autonomy in the European Union. Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will represent Finland. Strategic autonomy refers to the EU’s independence and increased resilience in crises. The discussion is linked to the update of the EU’s industrial strategy, which will be published later in the spring. 

“The Union’s industrial strategy must focus on cyber security and digitalisation of European companies. The EU should be more determined in promoting industrial renewal and investments as part of the continent’s recovery,” Lintilä says.

Strategic dependencies in different sectors under examination
In October 2020, the European Council invited the Commission to identify strategic dependencies, particularly in the most sensitive sectors such as health that could threaten functional security in the EU. The Commission was also invited to propose measures to reduce dependency on raw materials, production or technologies from third countries in these sectors. The EU could increase its functional security in these sectors by diversifying production and supply chains, ensuring strategic stockpiling, and fostering production and investment in Europe. At the videoconference, the Commission will also present its recently published Communication on Europe’s Digital Decade. This is an important digital initiative by the Commission that sets out a vision and guidelines for the EU’s objectives until 2030 and emphasises sustainability and wellbeing.The initiative to this informal meeting came from the Portuguese Presidency. No decisions will be made at the meeting.