The Eurovent Association has co-signed the ‘Joint Declaration for an ambitious EU industry strategy’, in which 92 leading sectoral associations call for the EU to implement a determined and coordinated strategy for Europe’s manufacturing sector.

In the sector heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR), Eurovent, the Association of the European Heating Industry (EHI), and the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) supported this wide-ranging initiative.

The Joint Declaration responds to the considerable challenges Europe’s industry is facing, including the USA’s current shift towards ‘America first’. Among others it calls on the European Commission to ‘reaffirm its commitment to reaching the target of 20% of GDP from industry’ and to ‘adopt and Action Plan to tackle the challenges that the industrial sectors are facing’.

Eurovent secretary general Felix Van Eyken said: “The clear majority of the more than 1,000 manufacturers that we count as our members are SMEs from all corners of Europe. They constitute the core of our industry, drive research and innovation, contribute to a skilled workforce, and support regional developments.”

“It is them that should receive the full attention of our policy-makers. Strengthening our joint European industrial values and efforts is thus something that we fully support. An ambitious plan is necessary to ensure a sustainable development of our sector.”