France has told EU partners that the bloc's proposed "Made in Europe" initiative should not extend protections to the United Kingdom, arguing that firms outside the single market should not benefit from the same safeguards.
A French minister was quoted as saying: "If you’re not in the internal market, you don’t get the same protection," reflecting Paris's view that the measure, designed to curb competition from China, should be reserved for EU members and those fully participating in the internal market.
The move, which French officials are said to be leading, has raised concerns in Britain about the commercial consequences. Critics warn that excluding the UK from the scheme could leave British companies at a disadvantage in bidding to supply European states with low-carbon technologies and electric cars as member states seek to boost domestic industry and manage strategic procurement.
The issue surfaced again this week when Andy Burnham, the UK mayor of Greater Manchester, raised the plans with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The conversation highlighted growing tensions over post‑Brexit access to EU industrial and procurement initiatives.
Supporters of the policy in Brussels and Paris frame it as a tool to protect nascent European clean-tech industries from subsidised competition, particularly from China, while opponents caution that restrictive rules could disrupt existing supply chains and politicise procurement decisions. How broadly the bloc defines eligibility for "Made in Europe" protections will be a key question for negotiations among member states and EU institutions.
For British businesses, the outcome could influence competitive prospects across the continent as Europe ramps up investment in green technologies. Companies and governments on both sides of the Channel will be watching closely as the EU develops the policy and sets the criteria that determine who can benefit from it.