‘If you’re not in the internal market, you don’t get the same protection,’ says French minister of policy designed to curb Chinese competition

One key EU proposal is the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), which would require authorities spending public money – awarding subsidies or public contracts – to favour European products in sectors such as renewable technologies and electric cars…

…“European taxpayers’ money should support [European] workers and European factories,” the French industry minister, Sébastien Martin, told reporters.

Fair enough I guess. If the UK wants the benefits of being part of a big European club then I guess we need to sign up to that club. Maybe Brexit was a mistake.

  • matlag@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    1·
    8 hours ago

    So Canada will be in, because that’s what the “associated member” thing is about. But UK will not.

    “Made in EU or associated countries but not in non-EU Europe”

    Hope there’s a regulation on the labels size…

  • tetris11@feddit.ukEnglish
    172·
    2 days ago

    Yeah, self-inflicted. Sucks for us, but it’s how we learn (hopefully)

    • jobbies@lemmy.zipEnglish
      181·
      2 days ago

      I agree, but technically we are still a European country. We left the union, not the continent.

      • MouldyCat@feddit.ukEnglish
        3·
        2 days ago

        While I am irked somewhat when people conflate the EU and Europe, calling a EU-only policy a “Made in Europe” policy would still be technically correct. For example, if I told people I personally only bought products made in Europe, but in fact I only bought products made in Guernsey, my first statement would still be accurate.

        If the EU ever grows to include Canada or Japan however, it would then no longer be possible to make such statements.

        • FishFace@piefed.socialEnglish
          3·
          1 day ago

          Point is that you shouldn’t be excluding countries from joining a “made in Europe” certification scheme when they are, in fact, making products in Europe. If you want the scheme specifically to be highlighting and promoting products made in the EU, it should be a “made in the EU” scheme.

        • Barley_Man@sopuli.xyzEnglish
          3·
          2 days ago

          Well you could have made in EU but not made in Europe. For example you can buy products made in French Guiana which would be EU but not Europe. Also Cyprus is in Asia according to how some people draw the lines of the continents. Then we have the Spanish part of North Africa and arguably the Canary islands as well.

      • Akh@lemmy.worldEnglish
        310·
        2 days ago

        I dunno, you guys are looking more and more like an American colony than a. European country. How is your healthcare and food going ?

        • jobbies@lemmy.zipEnglish
          13·
          2 days ago

          Well I had a delicious curry for tea and it didnt get recalled or give me diahorrea. And I picked up my prescription - 5 items and I didnt pay a penny.

          I don’t care what anyone says I’ll be European til I die.

        • FishFace@piefed.socialEnglish
          2·
          1 day ago

          The UK has always been more like the USA than many European countries are. It’s unsurprising if you consider the history. Britain has a strong history of liberalism, individualism and capitalism, more so I think than its European neighbours. That spread to/cross-pollinated with those factors in the USA.

          It would be wrong to see Britain as a colony of the USA rather than a country which is influenced by it for good and bad.

  • TheKrill@lemmy.worldEnglish
    13·
    2 days ago

    EU ≠ Europe, and its not just the UK but also Norway and Iceland etc. It would be more accurate to name the policy made in the EU.

    Although how this impact NI will be interesting to see…

    • AllNewTypeFace@leminal.spaceEnglish
      61·
      2 days ago

      Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and other countries are in the European Economic Area, which is a superset of the EU. The UK had the opportunity of staying in the EEA, but that wouldn’t have been a hard enough Brexit to appease the gammon, so it was rejected. Of course, the EU could give the UK special treatment and include them in the programme, but it does not follow that they reasonably should do so, and there are competing political pressures against them making such an exception.

      • TheKrill@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        1 day ago

        Its not a policy, or historical point: the UK is literally in the continent of Europe, so the term “Made in Europe” is factually incorrect here if it excludes the UK, regardless of what could or should happen with the politics.

  • FishFace@piefed.socialEnglish
    53·
    1 day ago

    If they want to exclude the UK, it’s fair enough - but it should then be called something which excludes the UK. The UK is in Europe, so products made there are, as a matter of fact, made in Europe.

    • SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.caEnglish
      73·
      1 day ago

      The UK is in Europe

      Economically they told Europe to fuck off. Actions have consequences. UK never likes to be referred to as Europe.

      • FishFace@piefed.socialEnglish
        5·
        1 day ago

        Just to be clear, do you think “made in Europe” stickers should exclude countries which are, as a matter of fact, in Europe? Do you think that’s better than making it a “made in the EU” sticker?

        UK never likes to be referred to as Europe.

        I’m trying to imagine what this could mean in a way that makes it anything other than obviously wrong or obviously dumb and I can’t. Is it

        • Citizens of the UK never like the UK to be referred to as Europe? This is obviously wrong. Many people in the UK recognise that the UK is part of Europe and refer to it that way. I believe you will find public statements from political figures from recent years saying as much.
        • The UK itself never likes to be referred to as Europe? This is obviously dumb. The UK itself is either a bit of rock, or an abstract concept, and does not have feelings.