Reclaiming Industrial Policy Means Reclaiming Power Over Investment
Trade unionists, industrial workers, researchers and political representatives gathered in Brussels to debate how democratic planning, public coordination and workers’ participation can shape a progressive European industrial policy
On 23–24 April, policymakers, trade unionists, industrial workers, researchers and political actors from across Europe gathered in Brussels for two days of discussion on the future of industrial policy in Europe.
Combining a public event at the European Parliament with a strategic expert meeting the following day, the initiative brought together perspectives from the steel, automotive, chemical and energy sectors alongside contributions from trade union representatives, economists and Members of the European Parliament.
Participants included Bruno Verlaeckt (ACCG, Belgium), Johan Vlietinck (CGT Dunkerque Aluminium, France), Gaëtan Lecoq (CGT ArcelorMittal, France), Christian Egner (IG Metall, Germany), as well as Members of the European Parliament Özlem Demirel, Marc Botenga and Marina Mesure, alongside economists Clara Mattei and Cecilia Rikap.
Across the two days, discussions connected concrete experiences of restructuring and industrial transformation with broader questions concerning democratic control over investment, public coordination and industrial planning.
The strategic discussions were informed by a dedicated discussion paper, which served as a basis for collective reflection and debate on the current crisis of European industrial policy and the question of democratic control over investment.
Against the backdrop of industrial restructuring, geopolitical tensions and the ecological transition, discussions across the two days repeatedly challenged the dominant language of “competitiveness” that continues to shape much of the European debate. From workers’ interventions and trade union experiences to contributions by economists and political representatives, participants instead returned to a broader political question: who controls investment decisions, industrial transformation and production priorities in Europe today?
A recurring theme throughout the exchanges was the growing contradiction between the expansion of public intervention and the concentration of economic decision-making power within private corporate structures. Across discussions on steel, automotive, energy and manufacturing, participants highlighted how public authorities increasingly mobilise subsidies, guarantees and industrial support measures while strategic decisions regarding relocation, restructuring and investment remain privately controlled.
The debates also underlined the limitations of market-based coordination in sectors such as energy, where price volatility and fragmented investment strategies continue to undermine long-term industrial planning. Several contributions stressed that industrial policy cannot be separated from questions of democratic coordination, public intervention and social needs.
Another central issue throughout the two-day process concerned the growing role of militarisation within European industrial policy. Participants warned that defence spending increasingly functions as a substitute for coherent civilian industrial strategy, while redirecting public resources away from socially necessary production and ecological transformation.
At the same time, the exchanges repeatedly emphasised the importance of linking industrial transformation to workers’ participation, employment security and democratic control over production decisions. Rather than seeking to produce a unified political line, the initiative aimed to strengthen dialogue between trade unions, political actors and researchers while clarifying some of the key tensions shaping industrial policy debates across Europe today.
The two-day process confirmed the growing need for progressive alternatives capable of reconnecting industrial policy with democratic control over investment, social justice and ecological transition.
Download the discussion paper here:
🎥 Watch the public event HERE.