Opinion polls show that a clear majority of Germans support imposing European rules on industrial production.
In a survey commissioned by Germany’s IG Metall trade union among workers in the metal and industrial production sector, 70% of participants agreed with the statement that companies selling products on the European market should have a legal obligation to localize part of their production within the European Union.
The draft so-called industrial accelerator law, which the European Commission is expected to submit in the coming days, includes such rules, according to the German Press Agency (DPA).
Recently, disagreements have arisen regarding the stringency of these regulations. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized France’s far-reaching proposal to impose a “made in Europe” principle that would give priority to European service providers in public investments.
Mr. Meretz called for such rules to be limited to important and strategic sectors and used only as a last resort.
90% of survey participants support the state providing support to companies only if they guarantee the maintenance of production and jobs in Europe, and 83% of participants believe that public contracts should only be awarded to companies that guarantee safe jobs in Europe.
“If politics is going to spend people’s tax money, it should strengthen Europe’s industrial position and secure jobs here,” said the union’s second president, Jürgen Kellner, adding that local production is the logical response to a world defined by tariffs, subsidies and unfair trade practices that are costing European jobs every day.
