“A place-based approach is vital to empower regions and municipalities to drive industrial innovation. Local and regional authorities are key drivers of Europe’s competitiveness.” – William Elofsson, Deputy Mayor of Gävle and European Committee of the Regions (CoR) Rapporteur for the Clean Industrial Deal, made these remarks during a Stakeholder Consultation organised at the CoR in Brussels.
The CoR Rapporteur highlighted the important role of Local and Regional Authorities (LRAs) as key drivers of competitiveness, as they deliver the EU strategic agenda on the ground and effectively support innovation ecosystems. He said that his Municipality had a diverse industrial base from paper to steel industry and hence had an important contribution to make.
The aim of the stakeholder consultation was to gather insights on shaping a Clean Industrial Deal rooted in local realities. The consultation brought together stakeholders from industry, academia, civil society, and regional and local authorities to exchange ideas on how Europe’s industrial transformation can reflect territorial strengths.
Elofsson welcomed the Clean Industrial Deal as a growth strategy to decarbonise and drive competitiveness for EU industries. He underlined that a new growth strategy aiming at fostering EU sustainable competitiveness needs to address the disparate and diverse challenges faced by regions and people across the EU. Elofsson insisted on the need for better support for SMEs in bridging the innovation gap and completing the transition to net-zero technologies, as they can play a key role in the competitiveness of the EU. With respect to state aid, the Rapporteur welcomed the aims of the draft Clean Industrial State Aid Framework, to enable state aid without unduly distorting competition and trade, while preserving cohesion objectives, and primarily as a leverage to attract private investment.
Discussions also focused on enhancing skills ecosystems through local partnerships. The Rapporteur pointed out the need to improve links between universities, vocational training schools, and businesses for the competence and skills development and addressing professional shortages. Furthermore, he underlined the role of STEM education for the green and digital transitions.
With respect to global markets and international partnerships, Elofsson said that his opinion would advocate that trade and industrial policies should work in tandem to protect regional industries from unfair external competition.
Elofsson stressed that the Clean Industrial Deal is not just a technological or economic transition — it is a territorial one. " LRAs are at the frontline of implementing industrial policy, mobilising local businesses, enabling workforce transitions, and ensuring that no region is left behind. Their voice is essential in shaping a deal that works on the ground."
About the Clean Industrial Deal
The Clean Industrial Deal is a key pillar of the EU’s strategy to ensure affordable energy, boost demand for clean products, secure financing for the green transition, enhance circularity, and strengthen the European workforce. The initiative aims to accelerate industrial decarbonisation while ensuring Europe remains competitive on a global scale.
Next Steps
The opinion will be developed within the CoR’s Commission for Economic Policy (ECON), following this timeline:
- 23 May 2025: Adoption at the ECON Commission meeting
- 2–3 July 2025: Final adoption at the CoR Plenary Session
