Europe must regain full control of its industrial capabilities to ensure sovereignty and competitiveness, says Belgium’s Labour, Economy and Agriculture Minister David Clarinval.
“European sovereignty requires control over its industrial capabilities, energy resources, defense, and agriculture,” Clarinval told Euronews. “If we no longer control these four pillars, we are no longer a group of sovereign states-and we lose control.”
He acknowledged Europe had been “naive” in the face of Chinese dumping and U.S. trade aggression but believes a paradigm shift is now underway.
With productivity lagging behind the U.S. and China, Europe faces structural hurdles: fragmented markets, high energy costs, and a shrinking workforce. Yet reports by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta have spurred renewed urgency to boost economic, digital, and defense capacity.
The war in Iran is worsening the outlook. Rising oil and gas prices are hitting citizens and businesses, while material costs climb across sectors.
In response, Belgium plans to cut fuel taxes and implement a “commercial diesel system” to cap energy costs for entrepreneurs and transport firms.
Clarinval also signaled readiness to seize assets in Belgium linked to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei-son and successor to Iran’s late supreme leader-should international mandates authorize such action.