There is no resilient, nor safe, nor strong Europe, without a strong European Industry.

Clear Message from the European Industry Summit: Protect Industry and High-Quality Jobs for Future Generations

In one of the most challenging periods in Europe’s history, high energy costs, ruthless global competition, and declining investment are threatening Europe’s industrial base.

Celje, 12 February 2026 – Yesterday in Antwerp, European industrial and political leaders gathered to send a clear message: there is no resilient, safe, and strong Europe without a strong European industry. More than 500 business leaders, joined this time for the first time also by representatives of industrial workers, once again called for urgent and decisive action. The President of the Management Board of Cinkarna Celje, Aleš Skok, also attended the meeting.

Investments are leaving. Plant closures and job losses across manufacturing sectors are accelerating. Europe must move from diagnosis to implementation of appropriate measures to halt this trend. Not next year, not next week, but today. Geopolitical disruptions, structural dependencies, and ruthless global competition are revealing how crucial a successful industrial base is for Europe’s security and prosperity.

The message from yesterday’s European Industry Summit in Antwerp to the high representatives of the EU and the Member States, who are meeting today, 12 February 2026, in Alden Biesen at the European Council session, is available at: The Antwerp Declaration - The Antwerp call to Alden Biesen  

The call was made at the European Industry Summit, which brought together over 500 business leaders, 30 factory workers, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, under the auspices of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Senior EU leaders also joined including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, Executive Vice Presidents Teresa Ribera and Stéphane Séjourné, Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, and Vice President of the European Parliament Martin Hojsík, underscoring the political urgency of Europe’s industrial crisis.

As part of the implementation of the Antwerp Declaration, adopted on 20 February 2024, and the European Industrial Deal, the EU has introduced concrete measures, such as the Clean Industrial State Aid Framework (CISAF), which enables Member States to support energy-intensive companies and investments in clean technologies. These measures represent an important first step; however, further decisive action is still required to safeguard competitiveness and protect jobs.

While the situation is dire, the outcome is not inevitable.  We can overcome, if you act. We ask you to turn the Clean Industrial Deal into outcomes felt on factory floors in 2026. We call for bold action in three key areas of the Antwerp Declaration:

• Bring energy and carbon costs down.
• Support fair global trade and improved access to finance.  
• Be proud to buy products made in Europe.

This European Council meeting in Alden Biesen should be remembered as the moment the EU turned ambition into action: when we cut energy and carbon costs, delivered lower emissions through innovation and new investments, created demand for clean products, restored the conditions for private investment, made a truly functional Single Market, and made trade a driver of growth and quality jobs rather than vulnerability.

PHOTO: Cefic