Innovation and policy making, keystones of a successful Europe

“Innovation” was one of the keywords of the 2021 Orgalim General Assembly. On 16 November, our members had the opportunity to discuss how to unlock a more sustainable, green and digital future, as well as to experience first-hand what this future could look like. The Innovation Tour showcased the positive impact that innovation can bring to our daily lives, providing tangible examples across different sectors. Europe’s technology industries can have an enabling role in the transition toward a better future: however, this will not be possible without the right policy framework. Innovation and policy making must go hand in hand, and our policy teams are fully invested in their advocacy work to make this innovation happen.

To facilitate the deployment of data in our technology industries and create these innovative tools, Orgalim is working for an up-to-date industrial data policy at the European level. We are asking the European Commission to avoid mandatory sharing of industrial data in the upcoming Data Act, thereby preserving the companies' freedom of exchange data at their conditions while respecting their Intellectual Property Rights.

The new Battery Regulation currently being discussed by co-legislators will include new sustainability requirements that may be used as a blueprint for other product categories in the future. For this reason, and given that sustainability is at the forefront of Orgalim’s agenda, we are closely monitoring these developments to ensure that new requirements will be proportionate and in line with the New Legislative Framework. During this part of the tour, our members also saw how AI cameras can be used for safety purposes, particularly to detect heat signs in charging units. Orgalim is following closely the discussions around the Al Regulation, which is currently going through a co-decision procedure in Council and Parliament. We are asking for a regulatory environment that doesn't stifle innovation and doesn’t over-regulate the AI sector, but instead encourage investments. 

The core of the Sustainable Product Initiative (SPI) will be to widen the scope of the Ecodesign Directive beyond energy-related products. The Commission plans to regulate several sustainability aspects, including product durability, the presence of hazardous chemicals in products and energy and resource efficiency. The SPI will also establish a Digital Product Passport that gathers useful data of the product along its value chain. Orgalim has widely focused its advocacy work on Circular Economy and sustainability, welcoming the upcoming SPI and supporting the introduction of the related Digital Product Passport.

Orgalim's complete positions and recommendations on the new Circular Economy Plan, Sustainable Products Initiative, Regulation for Batteries and Waste Batteries, Data Act and other related regulatory dossiers can be found here.