European Industry Summit in Antwerp

26 February 2025
Antwerp, Belgium

On February 26, 2025, during the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the Clean Industrial Deal, a transformative strategy aimed at revitalising Europe’s industrial sector while advancing decarbonisation efforts. This initiative responds to the collective call of over 1,300 organisations from 25 sectors, united under the Antwerp Declaration, which advocates for a European Industrial Deal to complement the EU Green Deal and safeguard quality jobs across the continent.

The Antwerp Declaration, first presented on February 20, 2024, by 73 business leaders spanning 17 sectors, has now garnered support from 1,308 organisations, including 881 companies, 381 associations and unions, and 46 other entities. Collectively, these signatories represent a diverse industrial base committed to Europe’s sustainable and competitive future.

As one of the first signatories of the Antwerp Declaration, EuLA is proud to see its growing success and strong support. With 9 out of 10 calls of the Antwerp Declaration now addressed in The CleanIn dustrial Deal, it is clear that industry’s voice is being heard. The Clean Industrial Deal is a step in the right direction, but its success will depend on rapid implementation, strong support for hard-to-abate sectors like lime, and a clear path to industrial decarbonisation. With 69% of lime’s CO₂ emissions coming from the unavoidable chemical process of limestone calcination, we require urgent policy action, investment, and a regulatory framework that enables Europe’s industrial future.
Lime and steel are deeply interconnected—40% of European lime production is used in steelmaking. Any strategic decision regarding steel will directly impact lime, as both industries are essential for a sustainable industrial future. Recognising this link is crucial to ensuring a resilient and competitive European manufacturing base.

Mr Tim Van den Bossche, President of EuLA and CEO at Carmeuse EMEA, was among the main round table speakers and addressed the lime sector priorities:
• Support industrial investments by prioritizing process emissions reductions in hard-to-abate sectors
• Establish a European Industrial CCfD Framework to avoid market fragmentation
• Implement binding targets for low-carbon materials in public procurement
• Recognize the untapped potential in CO₂ abatement in the lime sector and promote recarbonation. Current EU regulations do not recognize this opportunity and we are keen to engage in discussions with the Commission to explore how to fill the current regulatory gap.

In alignment with the Clean Industrial Deal, the European Lime Association (EuLA) has outlined key areas to ensure the lime industry’s competitiveness and contribution to Europe’s green transition:

1. Addressing Process Emissions in Hard-to-Abate Sectors.
2. Industrial Fast Track for Decarbonisation Projects.
3. Ensuring Financing and Investment Certainty.
4. Infrastructure Development for CO₂ Transport and Storage.
5. Ensuring Affordable Energy and Industrial Competitiveness.
6. Creating Demand for Low-Carbon Industrial Materials.

European Lime Association has published a Position Paper where you can find out more about EuLA’s Expectations for the Clean Industrial Deal.

Read more about EuLA’s vision in our Roadmap: “A Pathway to Negative CO₂ Emissions by 2050“.

Key components of the Clean Industrial Deal include:

• Affordable Energy: Implementing the Affordable Energy Action Plan to reduce energy costs for industries, businesses, and households, thereby promoting the transition to a low-carbon economy.
• Financing the Clean Transition: Mobilizing over €100 billion to support EU-based clean manufacturing, including the establishment of an Industrial Decarbonization Bank to secure additional funding.
• Regulatory Simplification: Introducing the “Simplification Omnibus” to streamline corporate sustainability reporting and supply chain transparency, reducing administrative burdens and enhancing global competitiveness.

President of European Commission, Mrs Ursula von der Leyen emphasised the urgency of these measures, stating, “We want to cut the ties that still hold you back. So that Europe can be not only a continent of industrial innovation, but also a continent of industrial production.”

We thank President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Executive Vice-Presidents Teresa Ribera and Stéphane Séjourné, and Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra for this important step towards building a resilient Europe.

As the Clean Industrial Deal progresses to the European Parliament and member states for further assessment, the collaborative efforts of industry stakeholders and policymakers will be crucial in ensuring that Europe’s industrial future is both competitive and sustainable.
The next 6-12 months are critical to shaping the future of European Industry.

Time to act is now!

If you have missed signing the declaration, you can do it at antwerp-declaration.eu.

Official Photos from the event available at: Pictures – European Industry Summit