THE STATE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION Towards a new legislative term

THE STATE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 104 er emphasis on social cohesion and social standards should also be placed more prominently on the agenda. In particular, the Inflation Reduction Act is fuelling the debate. Moreover, the Social Climate Fund will come into effect in 2027, so that the social aspect will not disappear from the EU’s political landscape. The tension between common strategies for European energy and supply security on the one hand and nationally shaped energy and industrial policy goals on the other will re- main as well. Given the looming shift to the right in the EU parlia- mentary elections and the calls for a regulatory break in the climate agenda, this task is likely to become even more challenging. But there is no alternative. The cata- strophic summer of 2023 once again highlights the con- sequences of climate policy inaction. At the same time, Europeans urgently need to agree on what future they have in mind for their industry. What are our industrial policy goals? What is the relationship between cost is- sues and strategic considerations? Which products do we want to produce in Europe and which ones would we rather import? What would a common European in- dustrial architecture look like, one from which all Mem- ber States profit in the best possible way? What is the best way to secure jobs and welfare in Europe? These questions need to be answered together. Abbreviations – CBAM: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. – EU: European Union. – EU ETS: European Union Emissions Trading Scheme. – STEP: Strategic Technology Platform for Europe. References Detsch, Claudia (2023): A nuclear blazing row, en IPS Journal (5.5.2023). Available at: https://www.ips - journal.eu/topics/economy-and-ecology/bursting- the-nuclear-bubble-6680/ Detsch, Claudia (2023): Waking the sleeping beau- ty of European industrial policy, en IPS Journal (16.2.2023). Available at: https://www.ips- journal. eu/topics/economy-and-ecology/waking-the-sleep- ing-beauty-of-european-industrial-policy-6512/ Detsch, Claudia (2023): Wanted – Europe’s energy sov- ereignty, en EURACTIV (17.5.2023). Available at: htt- ps:/ /www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/ opinion/wanted-europes-energy-sovereignty/ Dimitrisina, Reghina (2023): The key provisions in the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act, en Friedrich Ebert Stif- tung (30.3.2023). Available at: https://justclimate. fes.de/e/key-provisions-eus-net-zero-industry-act Pepe, Jacopo Maria (2022): Geopolitics and Energy Security in Europe – How do we move forward? . Bruselas: Competence Centre for Climate and Social Justice | FES Just Climate. Available at: https://library. fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/bruessel/19953.pdf Verheyen, Steffen (2023): Zooming in on… European electricity market reform. Bruselas: Competence Cen- tre for Climate and Social Justice | FES Just Climate. Available at: https://justclimate.fes.de/fileadmin/ user_upload/20230309_Briefing_Electricity_mar- ket_reform_engl.pdf Wilts, Henning and Andre Bröcker (2022): Implementa- tion of the Circular Economy in Europe: Status quo and Starting points. Bruselas: Competence Centre for Climate and Social Justice | FES Just Climate. Avail- able at: https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/brues- sel/19794.pdf