In an era of increasing international trade, Europe is asserting its desire to repatriate its production and thus help meet its ecological transition objectives. The idea is to produce in a more sustainable way and to increase transparency about the origin of materials, products, and stages of production. Read on as Oney deciphers the various initiatives available to companies wishing to be part of this movement and its many benefits.
The Made in Europe partnership
This partnership between the industry sector and the European Commission aims to make Europe a hub for sustainable manufacturing. It has several levers for action, such as centralizing resources and knowledge, and applying circular economy principles. It is thus in line with the goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2050.
More broadly, this partnership is part of the Horizon Europe innovation and research program, which is set to run until 2027 and involves 11 different partnerships that deal with various issues. There are industry-specific partnerships, for instance towards cleaner steel, as well as a Processes4Planet partnership.
These 11 so-called “co-programmed” partnerships, which have already been adopted, are essentially established between the European Commission and mainly private (but sometimes also public) instances. This involvement of private actors underlines the importance of brands and companies in this European transformation, proving that they are indeed drivers of change.
The Made in EU seal
“Labels” such as the Made in Europe seal have been implemented to promote companies that choose to manufacture products in Europe.
This initiative aims to strengthen the European economy by encouraging the creation of value, improving the quality of products sold and instituting greater transparency on the origin of products – all of this, right here at home.
For companies, being awarded such a seal represents a market differentiation opportunity, and to benefit from consumers’ attachment to and preference for local products. End customers can also find these manufacturers on the program’s database.
What are Made in Europe’s advantages for businesses?
In addition to providing an assurance of quality for consumers and an enhanced brand image, there are various advantages for companies to move their production (back) to Europe:
- Benefit from a better flow of goods and people thanks to the European free circulation principle, which represents real time savings;
- Take advantage of a wide choice of European suppliers, all of whom meet the same regulations, without having to worry about country-specific standards;
- Greater security in terms of supplies, and therefore better assurance of meeting delivery deadlines);
- Showcase their commitment to the environment and to the ecological transition.
What are Made in Europe’s advantages for consumers?
A Made in Europe-certified product is a guarantee of transparency for consumers, both in terms of composition, quality and manufacturing steps. It is also a guarantee of product compliance, since all products meet the same regulations.
Ultimately, this is a win-win choice that improves the brand image of companies, while guaranteeing consumers quality products.