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Czechia and eight other countries criticize proposal to prioritize products from the EU

by AI | 08.Dec 2025 | Europe in brief AI

According to FT sources, the planned initiative could cost EU companies more than 10 billion euros a year because they will be forced to buy more expensive European components.

Solar panels in the town of Alesanco in the Rioja region, in an archive image. EFE/Raquel Manzanares

Brussels – Europe should protect certain strategic sectors, such as the steel industry, but at the same time it should remain open to high value-added investments from other countries. After a meeting with his colleagues from other EU countries, outgoing Czech industry minister Lukáš Vlček said this today in Brussels. Czechia is one of the loudest countries opposing proposals that the EU should buy only products “made in Europe”. This position is promoted mainly by France.

The European Commission originally planned to publish this month an initiative seeking to give preference to products made in Europe. However, it encountered resistance from member states, especially from Czechia, which was supported in this matter by another eight countries.

On the basis of this activity, the Commission even decided to postpone the controversial proposal until 28 January, reported the Financial Times. According to the newspaper, the postponement is a major blow to French commissioner Stéphane Séjourné, in whose portfolio the proposal falls. Paris has been trying for many decades to protect domestic production from cheap imports from Asia, especially in the field of clean technologies and some heavy industrial sectors. Germany long stood on the side of France, but recently softened its stance in an effort to halt the decline of its automotive industry and other sectors.

The Czech so-called non-paper, that is, an unofficial document intended for discussion, was signed by Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Sweden and Slovakia. However, according to information from ČTK, Germany, Poland and Hungary also indicated their support.

According to FT sources, the planned initiative could cost EU companies more than 10 billion euros a year because they would be forced to buy more expensive European components. The European Commission is therefore now trying to soften the proposal. It fears the impact on the union’s competitiveness and the excessive use of public funds to purchase products made in the European Union, such as electric buses and solar panels, the newspaper added. (8 December)