(ANSA-AFP) - BRUSSELS, FEB 26 - The EU on Wednesday unveiled
a push to "simplify" its environmental rules to give businesses
breathing room faced with competition from the United States and
China -- while still vowing to decarbonise Europe's economy. The
European Union's focus has pivoted to competitivity due to
concerns over sluggish economic growth -- in a sharp move away
from EU chief Ursula von der Leyen's first mandate that focused
on tackling climate change. The issue has taken on acute urgency
with US President Donald Trump pushing an America First strategy
that risks a trade war with the EU. The bloc's industry chief
Stephane Sejourne said Europe was "simplifying" green business
rules to make its companies more competitive -- without
resorting to the "chainsaw". "Europe knows how to reform itself.
Without a chainsaw but with competent men and women who listen
to economic players," Sejourne said -- in a nod to America's
Elon Musk or Argentina's Javier Milei who have made the saw a
symbol of reforming zeal. "It does not undermine any of the
green goals," the EU's vice president for the clean transition,
Teresa Ribera, told a press conference. Exasperated companies --
as well as key powers France and Germany -- have been urging
Brussels to make it easier to do business and bring down energy
costs, which are higher than in the United States. As Trump
rejects his predecessor's push to bolster clean tech investment,
Brussels also sees an opportunity for Europe. With all that in
mind, the European Commission unveiled a package of measures to
pare back red tape, cut energy costs and strengthen its clean
tech sector through a "Clean Industrial Deal". For starters, the
EU executive told member states to cut taxes on electricity
bills to help consumers and firms. And it intends to trim back
several new rules on environmental and human rights supply chain
standards -- adopted with fanfare barely months ago but since
attacked as too burdensome for businesses. (ANSA-AFP).
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