The Council held a second ministerial debate, following the first one held on 25 November 2010, on the best ways for adapting the EU's industrial structures and policies as an engine for growth and job creation which is able to respond to challenges arising from globalisation.
At the end of the debate, the Council adopted conclusions on "An integrated industrial policy for the globalisation era: putting competitiveness and sustainability at centre stage" which is one of the seven flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy.
It places the industrial policy at the centre of the new growth model for the EU economy, by proposing the establishment of a framework that will stimulate economic recovery and employment. This new framework is intended to help Europe's industry to seize the opportunities created in the transformation of the global business environment.
The new approach proposed towards a more dynamic, resource-efficient and sustainable economy is characterised by:
· bringing together a horizontal basis and a targeted application to the different industrial sectors;
· giving due consideration to the whole value and supply chain, from access to energy and raw materials to after-sale services and the recycling of materials, including the international
· dimension along the chain;
· closely monitoring competitiveness.