VDMA European Office - vdma.org

Canada wants to expand its economic partnerships - an opportunity for Europe. It is crucial that the CETA free trade agreement is finally implemented in full.

Security and competitiveness will be two overarching priorities for the Danish Presidency, but it will also focus on the 28th regime and data.

The EU omnibus package is intended to significantly reduce the burden on companies. This applies in particular to the limitation of due diligence obligations to direct business partners. The EU must not be dissuaded from this course.

The EU-Commission has announced that it will withdraw the proposal for a Directive on AI liability. VDMA is calling on the EU-Commission to take the necessary steps.

On 21 May 2025, the EU Commission presented a fourth omnibus package to reduce the annual administrative costs for companies. It also provides for simplifications in the implementation of data protection for certain companies.

The Council has adopted its negotiating mandate on the eDeclaration. This is a first step towards less bureaucracy in the area of posting of workers.

The EU-Commission has presented a Single Market strategy and focuses on removing the 10 most harmful obstacles, including barriers to the posting of workers.

It is right to combine the topic of startups and scaleups with an EU strategy. After all, startups drive Europe's innovative strength and future viability.

The EU and the United Kingdom have decided to enter into a dialog on the entry and stay of persons for business purposes. The VDMA hopes that this will facilitate work assignments in the United Kingdom.

The CO2 border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) should be simplified. This is also urgently needed: Small and medium-sized companies in particular must be exempted.

The EU internal market needs ambitious reforms. The EU internal market strategy aims to improve Europe's competitiveness, but remains too vague in detail.

EU Commissioner Séjourné signals a change in policy to strengthen companies. What is needed is a drastic simplification of EU legislation, the completion of the internal market and more trade agreements.

The EU-Commission launches public consultations on possible countermeasures in response to Trump's introduction of “reciprocal” tariffs and tariffs on cars and car parts from the EU.

The first quarter of 2025 resulted in an overall increase in orders of 4% - the first positive quarterly balance of orders in three years. March also closed with a pleasing increase in orders of 4%.

The EU internal market must be standardized and deepened. The points on the EU internal market strategy that have now become known in advance sound promising. This applies in particular to the "think-small first" approach.

VDMA has met with the EU Member States, the EU-Commission and the EU-Parliament to campaign for the eDeclaration. If adopted, this would be an important first step towards reducing bureaucracy.

The EU's action plan emphasizes the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence. There is a lot of potential for AI, especially in industrial applications. Small-scale regulations must not stand in the way of this.

The new Clean Industrial Deal seeks to answer the industry calls for competitiveness as the successor of the EU Green Deal?

Did you miss the last Regul8 of the Materials Handling and Intralogistics Association? No problem, you can watch the presentation on current EU policy again here.

Good news from Brussels: the suspension of several reporting obligations gives companies the capacity to act in order to focus on important areas of transformation.

VDMA has conducted an initial analysis of the Mercosur agreement. This Free Trade Agreement is an important signal against isolationism and in favor of open markets in the current tense geopolitical situation.

For the 15th time, VDMA organised the European Policy Reception together with Deutsche Messe. This year, one thing is clear: everything revolves around how to deal with US President Trump, because a trade war benefits no one.

More than 250 leaders in machinery and equipment manufacturing from across Europe came to Amsterdam on 17 and 18 March 2025 to discuss geopolitics, new markets, innovation and the shortage of labour.

On March 4, 2025, representatives of the additive manufacturing industry from seven European countries will meet with the Parliament and the Commission in Brussels

Europe's defense industry needs efficient value chains for components and production technologies. The European mechanical and plant engineering industry will play a key role here.

The machinery and equipment industry in Europe can hold its own in the face of increasingly tough global competition - if the promised relief comes and companies push ahead with their transformation.

The objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal are fundamentally correct. However, EU policy must urgently improve the conditions in Europe across the board. Not only the symptoms of crisis industries must be treated.

The EU seems to have its sights set on cutting red tape. The announced proposal to simplify regulations must therefore include concrete improvements for companies. That is what matters now.

The EU's planned omnibus regulation could simplify three particularly burdensome sets of rules for companies. However, the EU needs to talk much more with small and medium-sized enterprises.

Companies are waiting for the promised relief from the EU Commission. Quick and clear measures are now needed to strengthen the competitiveness of industry.

The EU and the Philippines announced the resumption of trade negotiations in 2024. VDMA prepared a document with the most important demands for the negotiating teams, e.g. the abolition of all tariffs.

With the Omnibus Regulation, Commission President von der Leyen wants to consolidate, reduce and simplify various ESG reporting obligations. The VDMA welcomes the initiative and is submitting specific proposals for improvement.

The EU is committed to a more competitive Europe. A strategy for European industry must not get lost in individual aids, but must fundamentally strengthen Europe as a business location.

Donald Trump's economic program could be a test of strength for Europe. This makes it all the more important that the EU now acts as one, especially on trade issues.

Overview of the VDMA's foreign trade policy activities in 2024 - a review of the year

The European single market urgently needs reforms to improve and deepen it. Small and medium-sized companies are particularly dependent on this.

At the end of 2024, Switzerland and the EU managed to redefine their relations. It is questionable whether the necessary referendum in Switzerland will accept the rules.

The European Deforestation Regulation is being postponed - an important measure to ease the burden on companies. Other EU regulations must now also be put to the test as part of the omnibus regulation.

The EU's free trade agreement with Mercosur must finally be signed at the summit in Uruguay. This could save the EU alone 4 billion euros a year in customs duties.

The EU Commission President wants to ease the burden on industry in Europe by simplifying regulations. There must be no taboos, even hard-won compromises must be tackled anew.

The new EU Commission can begin its work on December 1. Europe's industry now needs quick decisions to strengthen its competitiveness.

The EU-Commission has given the go-ahead for a single EU-wide digital declaration portal for the posting of workers. VDMA expressly welcomes this first step towards reducing bureaucracy.

he posting of employees in Europe must not be a bureaucratic madness. The EU Commission's proposal for an eDeclaration is right, but further measures must follow.

Valdis Dombrovskis is to take on a decisive portfolio in the EU Commission. There are still no concrete proposals for better regulation that could signal real change.

Companies in Europe need significant relief quickly: less bureaucracy and laws that can also be implemented in practice. A VDMA position paper.

VDMA met with MEPs to promote free trade. VDMA emphasized the importance of Free Trade Agreements for our industry.

The four states of the European Free Trade Association and India have signed a trade and economic partnership agreement. If they can do it, why can't the EU?

The tougher the dispute between the USA and China becomes in global trade, the greater the pressure on Europe. What will industries have to face if rules-based trade is pushed aside?

Representatives of VDMA met with Commission officials from DG GROW, CONNECT and JUST to discuss reducing bureaucracy for SMEs, late payments, the EU Data Act and liability.

The EU rightly wants to put the structure of its budget to the test. Scarce resources must be managed efficiently, innovation and competitiveness must be at the top of the agenda.