Panel Discussion on Green Ambitions vs. Industrial Competitiveness

Bratislava,10.3.2025

ICE accepted the invitation to participate in a panel discussion organized by the initiative „Spoločne o EÚ,“ which focuses on facilitating dialogue and critical thinking about European affairs.

Our director of ICE joined the debate titled “Balancing Green Ambitions with Industrial Competitiveness: How Can the EU Prevent Excessive Deindustrialization While Promoting Sustainability?”

Participants expressed their views on Draghi’s report and the European Commission’s response, which issued the EU’s first-ever Competitiveness Compass. The discussion also covered green financing in the context of taxonomy and the future of European green energy.

During the debate, Katarína Cséfalvayová explained why Europe must lead the green transition: “Some say Europe only emits 10% of global CO₂, so why bother leading? But leadership is about shaping the future, not waiting for it to happen. If we set the standards, invest in the right industries, and build green solutions at scale, others will follow—and Europe will reap the economic and geopolitical benefits of being first.”

She also remarked on the topic of clean tech and energy independence: “The future of energy is not just about sustainability, it’s about sovereignty. Europe cannot afford to replace its dependence on Russian gas with reliance on Chinese solar panels and batteries. We need a bold clean tech strategy to build and scale these industries at home—otherwise, we’re just trading one dependency for another.”

We look forward to continuing this important conversation on Europe’s green future!