The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is urging the European Commission to ensure its 'Buy European’ approach creates and sustains quality jobs in Europe - in both services and manufacturing.
The Industrial Accelerator Act due to be presented on 28 January by Commission Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné is expected to strengthen the preference for European industry.
The test of any 'Buy European' policy is simple: does it expand good employment in Europe and strengthen our industrial and service sectors, or does it subsidise low standards and offshoring?
Europe’s competitiveness relies on the whole value chain - from factories and construction sites to logistics, maintenance, energy, cleaning, catering, IT, public-interest services and other skilled and essential work that keeps industry and communities running.
Joining with IndustriAll Europe, the ETUC is calling for the Act to include binding social conditions so that public support only goes to companies that:
- Create and maintain jobs in Europe, across services and manufacturing;
- Respect workers’ right to collective bargaining on pay and conditions;
- Provide fair pay, secure contracts and safe workplaces; and
- Invest in training and skills, including apprenticeships and upskilling.
ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch said:
“A ‘Buy European’ policy must be about one thing above all: creating and keeping quality jobs in Europe - not only in manufacturing, but also in the services that make Europe’s economy function and make industry competitive.
“At a time of intense global competition, it makes no sense to use public money to reward business models built on low pay, insecure work, bogus self-employment or shifting jobs out of Europe. That weakens our industrial base and undermines the services workers and companies rely on.
“The ‘Buy European’ policy cannot become a blank cheque. Any company receiving public support must deliver in return: good jobs in Europe, fair pay and working conditions set through collective bargaining, and serious investment in skills and training.
“Labour shortages holding back our economy are linked to low pay and poor conditions, while failure to train workers has worsened skills gaps. Linking support to collective bargaining and training is a win-win stronger jobs, stronger services, and stronger European competitiveness.”
IndustriAll Europe General Secretary Judith Kirton-Darling said:
“Europe’s industrial base is at a crossroads. After decades of offshoring and cost‑cutting, we have watched too many of our world‑leading industries slip away—and with them good jobs, strong communities, and our strategic autonomy. The green and digital transitions should be our chance to turn this around, but only if we choose an industrial policy anchored in fairness, sustainability, and shared prosperity.
“Local Content Policies are a proven way to make that happen. A genuine ‘Made in Europe’ strategy would ensure that public investment creates value here at home—jobs, skills, innovation—not just profits extracted elsewhere. To do this, the scope should reflect cross-European value chains, both in terms of geographical coverage (EU, EFTA, candidate countries & the UK) and sectors. Made in Europe should be a mainstream principle across all industrial policy instruments.
“But Made in Europe must mean more than assembling parts on European soil. It must uphold the values that define us: enforceable social standards, strong workers’ rights, decent wages, and access to training. It must protect our environmental leadership by ensuring products made in Europe meet the highest sustainability criteria. And it must deliver economic fairness—growth that improves people’s lives, not just headline GDP.
“This is our moment to rebuild Europe’s industrial strength on our terms. Made in Europe must mean made with quality, made with responsibility, and made with the people of Europe at its heart.”
