On the occasion of the 6th Economic Forum Confindustria - Medef which took place in Paris on 3 and 4 June, the Presidents of ConfindustriaEmanuele Orsini, and MEDEFPatrick Martin, signed a joint declaration in which they reaffirmed their commitment to put European industry back at the centre of the new EU institutions' actions, strengthening its competitiveness.

The European Parliament to be elected on 9 June and the new EU institutions will have to take crucial decisions for the Union: the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the energy and raw materials crisis, and the widening wealth gap with the US and China require strong, unprecedented and swift action from Europe.

The future of Europe is linked to the revitalisation of European industry. To successfully overcome global challenges, the only possible solution is to focus on renewing European competitiveness, which is essential for prosperity and social stability.

Confindustria and MEDEF are committed to contributing to the European decision-making process with concrete guidelines and proposals.

The main highlights of the joint declaration:

• Strengthen European competitiveness through decisive simplification action to tackle over-regulation and ensure a clear, consistent and predictable regulatory framework;

• Promoting European competitiveness through an investment shock in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), with more resources and financial instruments tailored to the needs of businesses and a European funding approach mobilising public and private resources, including a large European Sovereign Wealth Fund capable of mobilising up to 500 billion in private investment;

• Attracting talent and securing future skills through comprehensive skills interventions, facilitating the mobility of EU workers while reducing barriers for foreign workers;

• Embrace technological neutrality and actively support the nuclear industry along with other clean energy sources;

• Promote the competitiveness of the European defence industry through the development of a resilience strategy, moving towards the creation of a 'common market for the security and defence industry'.

Attached is the full text of the Joint Declaration, in English and Italian.

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