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Published on: 02/11/2026 - 11:20
Meeting in Antwerp with several heads of state on Wednesday, more than a thousand European industrialists are urging the Union to act against China and the United States. Protection, simplification, financing: Europe is seeking its response. The 27 will participate on Thursday in a moment of reflection in a castle in eastern Belgium.
More than a thousand European industrialists gathered on Wednesday February 11 in Antwerp alongside Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Objective: to revive an industry caught between China and the United States. In twenty years, China has become the world's leading manufacturing power, with nearly 30% of global production, compared to around 15% for the European Union. Beijing produces massively at costs often 30 to 40% lower than those of Europe.
An industry under pressure
European photovoltaics have almost disappeared in a decade: 98% of solar panels are now produced in China. And the phenomenon could extend to steel, chemicals, batteries or even automobiles, warn two reports, one from the High Commission for Planning, in France, the other from the Deloitte firm. Germany, the industrial pillar of the continent, has seen the weight of its industry decline by five points of GDP in ten years. At the same time, 240,000 industrial jobs will disappear between 2023 and 2024.
Faced with this disconnect, the paths diverge: European preference in certain strategic markets, targeted customs duties, regulatory simplification or even new common loans. The industry summit in Antwerp will be followed on Thursday by an informal meeting of the 27 heads of state and government of the Union at Alden Biesen Castle in eastern Belgium. A moment of reflection to find solutions and decline.
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