Answer given by Mr Breton on behalf of the European Commission
15.6.2022
The Commission is monitoring the situation and is actively working to help European industries reorganise their supply chains.
In view of monitoring the disruptions, business networks and industrial stakeholders have been mobilised. Consultations with actors including the Member States and the SME Envoy Network have allowed to collect and exchange information on the current challenges faced by European businesses.
In response, the Commission has developed actions to mitigate the short-term impact for European firms, including the adoption of the Temporary Crisis Framework[1], which complements the existing state aid toolbox available to Member States.
Moreover, tools and networks such as the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) and the Clusters network can help affected companies find new partners in Europe, and guidance regarding sanctions has been published on the Commission website with a dedicated contact point to assist businesses interpret the sanctions.
To enhance industry’s resilience and reinforce its competitiveness , the Commission is working on accelerating the digital and green transition, and will tackle the supply of critical raw materials by preparing a legislative proposal as laid out in the REPowerEU plan[2].
As announced in its Industrial Strategy update, the Commission will also propose a Single Market Emergency Instrument (SMEI) to ensure Single Market coherence in emergency situations.
In parallel, in view of supporting the Ukrainian economy, the Commission presented on 12 May 2022 a communication on EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes[3] setting out an action plan to help Ukraine export essential goods like grain, which has proved difficult because of logistical problems, e.g. due to the closure of ports in the Black Sea.
- [1] Communication from the Commission Temporary Crisis Framework for State Aid measures to support the economy following the aggression against Ukraine by Russia 2022/C 131 I/01, (24.03.22).
- [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2022%3A230%3AFIN&qid=1653033742483
- [3] Communication from the Commission: An action plan for EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes to facilitate Ukraine's agricultural export and bilateral trade with the EU COM(2022) 217 final, (12.05.22).