Overview
- The European Commission postponed unveiling the Industrial Accelerator Act by one week, targeting a March 4 presentation to refine the draft.
- Commission leaders signaled the proposal will include a European preference for strategic sectors in public investment.
- A representative IG Metall survey found 70% of Germans support legally requiring companies selling in Europe to locate part of their production in the EU.
- Large majorities favor tying public support to local jobs, with nine in ten backing conditions on state aid and 83% wanting procurement awards to firms guaranteeing secure employment in Europe.
- Political divisions remain, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz calls for narrowly targeted, last-resort use of such tools while IG Metall urges the government to back Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné’s initiative.