Gozzi (Federacciai): "Dear Schlein, for a true industrial policy, we need to go beyond the Green Deal."

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"Europe is currently facing a problem of deindustrialization that could represent an avalanche for the continent. And if we want to avoid this avalanche, we need unity among political families. This is why I appeal to Elly Schlein and the PSE: if you want to get back to focusing on factories, the real issue is revising the Green Deal ." Antonio Gozzi, president of Federacciai, spoke to Il Foglio at the same time as the Democratic Party, from the Tiburtina Studios , presented its proposals on industrial policies . He warned: "Enough slogans."

And so, while the Democratic Party, under the direction of Andrea Orlando, was preparing the two-day event that, to the outside world, should give the impression of a party open to the needs of industry, Federacciai president Gozzi wrote an open letter to Elly Schlein on his blog Piazza Levante, calling for a quicker transition from principled demands to concrete results. "We agree that the three presidents of Germany, France, and Italy—Merz, Macron, and Meloni—are right to jointly develop an economic and industrial policy document. And that in that document they should address all the thorny issues weighing on our industry, the cycles of decline affecting various sectors and which risk becoming an avalanche crashing across the continent. But in my opinion, the most pressing issue, the one on which we are already behind schedule, is the profound revision of the Green Deal."

Gozzi knows that within the Party of European Socialists (and also within the Democratic Party), it's unlikely that positions will shift and question the package of rules developed in the last European legislature. "And it's no coincidence that Commissioner Ribeira continues to say that the Green Deal is untouchable," argues the president of Federacciai. " Yet on the ETS, which after 25 years is increasingly clear to everyone that it has become a mere carbon tax, and also on automotive policies in general, something needs to be said. Knowing that the approach cannot be national, but European ."

According to Gozzi, the appeal addressed to the European Socialists and the Democratic Party, which is the largest group within the PSE, also stems from a defense of political principles: "Because if we care about our development model, our welfare, we must remember how they are both linked to the growth and defense of our industrial systems," argues the owner of the steel giant Duferco. "The Democratic Party is well aware of my positions because I have spoken with Schlein on several occasions. In February, I was invited by Gori and Bonaccini to the Kilometro Rosso in Bergamo, where I expressed my views." On the topic of energy cost decoupling, a topic dear to Gozzi, for example, the Democratic Party secretary has shown particular interest. " The important thing is that the approach to decoupling is also European. And we mustn't remain at the level of slogans, but arrive at comprehensive solutions ." Even on trade war scenarios, Gozzi believes there could be greater attention from the left. "They're all focused on the effects of 10 percent American tariffs. But they're missing the real problem on the horizon: unfair competition from China, which risks flooding our markets with their low-cost products." These are all issues on which the PSE as a whole has a wavering position, given how much the group has, over time, become aligned with the Greens on energy transition policies. They've failed to develop their own proposals that, while fully committed to reform, could find more pragmatic solutions over time.

That said, another point of reflection in recent days was Secretary Schlein's use of the so-called "Spanish model," which Italy should look to as an example of employment growth and economic development, to introduce the conference at the Tiburtina Studios. " But it's clear that for us, the real models are other countries like France and Germany, given that we are an industrial country, while Spain, aside from a bit of the automotive industry, has an economy that relies primarily on construction and services ," Gozzi analyzes. "Moreover, Spain, which in the past also had nuclear power, is now among the most uncompromising countries in implementing the Green Deal. It continues undaunted in its radical transition to renewables. I understand that, as the leader of a left-wing party, you want to look to, say, German Social Democracy. But beware of these more extremist examples." In short, is the Democratic Party moving from theory to practice in Europe? "I repeat, restoring competitiveness to Europe must be a shared goal for all political families," Gozzi concludes. “Especially if you say you want to defend factories and workers.”

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