Long-term goals and rumored measures threaten to become a burden on the location – competitiveness, social compatibility and climate protection must work together
In view of today’s presentation of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NEKP), industry shows a fundamental understanding of its necessity under European law. However, the overfulfillment of long-term objectives contained therein and the associated measures are critical, although it should be emphasized that this is a voluntary commitment and not a directly legally binding instrument. Against this background, it should be noted that manufacturing companies whose plants are already subject to EU emissions trading and who are already on a binding decarbonization path by 2050 should not be subject to an additional national climate target.
The long-term goals and projects presented today as part of the NEKP threaten to act as a mortgage for the location if they are implemented, as they can have costly binding effects on the entire business location. Instead of ever new burden packages and voluntary commitments at the expense of the domestic location, effective instruments are needed to strengthen the competitiveness of industry and thus secure jobs in Austria. European and national climate policy must be accompanied by an ambitious industrial policy in order to maintain competitiveness at the European location on the way to climate neutrality.
