The European Commission states that Europe needs a targeted industrial policy to strengthen its industrial base, such as the planned Industrial Accelerator Act. Urszula von der Leyen presented its key message on February 11th of this year at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp: “We must also accelerate the uptake of clean industrial products manufactured in Europe. This will be a key objective of the upcoming Industrial Accelerator Act.”

“We will introduce detailed EU content requirements for strategic sectors. This also applies to low-emission requirements in public procurement,” the President of the European Commission promised at a meeting of European entrepreneurs in Antwerp.

Kompas konkurencyjności UE. Źródło: 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁”.

Komisja Europejska przyjęła w styczniu br. roczne sprawozdanie na temat jednolitego rynku i konkurencyjności za rok 2026. W oparciu o 29 kluczowych wskaźników efektywności sprawozdanie podkreśla również, że: Europa stoi w obliczu ryzyka erozji przemysłu i utraty przewagi w wyścigu o innowacje. Strategiczne zależności pozostają wysokie i coraz bardziej narażone na wykorzystanie jako broń – stwierdza się w „𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁”.

Już na wstępie raportu stwierdza się, że przed Unią Europejską stoją  „bezprecedensowe wyzwania dla [utrzymania – MG] konkurencyjności w niestabilnej sytuacji geopolitycznej. Kluczowym przesłaniem sprawozdania jest potrzeba wspólnych działań w celu usunięcia „Straszliwej dziesiątki” najpoważniejszych barier na jednolitym rynku, zarówno na poziomie europejskim, jak i krajowym”.

“The Terrible Ten”

It is pointed out that the European Union is plagued by structural weaknesses. These are hampering economic development and the implementation of innovation. And this has been the case for a long time. The European Union’s weakness cannot be explained by the recent pandemic or an aging population and increasingly shrinking workforce.

“For over two decades, Europe has lagged behind other major economies due to a persistent productivity growth gap. The EU lags behind the United States in advanced technologies, while China has caught up in many sectors and is winning the race for leadership in some new growth areas,” emphasize the authors of the “2026 Annual Single Market and Competitiveness Report.”

 

Już od wielu lat wiadomo, że „Podstawową przyczyną jest brak innowacji”. Naukowcom i biznesowi europejskiemu nie udaje się przetworzyć nowych rozwiązań na nowe technologie, a te z kolei prowadzić jako konkurencyjne produkty rynkowe. Słabością krajów europejskich jest również brak integracji technologii ze działalnością przemysłową. Zjawisko da się wyraźnie zauważyć w każdym z przemysłów morskich, który uzależnił się od dostaw wielu komponentów z krajów azjatyckich i wykorzystania wielu technologii informatycznych i kosmicznych spoza Unii Europejskiej.

Global ship production in GT. Source: SEA Europe.

“At the same time, internal constraints are hindering European companies’ efforts to combat the crisis,” the report notes. They are hampered by high energy prices and regulatory constraints. In fact, the overregulation of the entire EU economy, in many cases bordering on absurdity. Therefore, European entrepreneurs “must also face increasingly unequal global competition, characterized by the massive use of industrial subsidies abroad.”

Europe Dependent on Asian Products and US Services

Europe has also been observed to be increasingly dependent on strategic raw materials and components, as well as global supply chains. This is clearly evident in the growing turnover of container and bulk terminals, and the high transshipment of crude oil and LNG. While ports boast record transshipment rates, the production of components and finished goods in EU countries, for example in the chemical industry, is shrinking.

“But that’s not all,” the report notes. Based on 29 key performance indicators, the European Commission communication emphasizes that: “Europe faces the risk of industrial erosion and losing its edge in the innovation race. Strategic dependencies remain high and increasingly vulnerable to being used as a weapon.”

The report notes that “Spending on research and development remains below the 3% GDP target and is too low to close the innovation gap. Private investment has declined, and venture capital investment remains below that of competing economies.”

The report found that the development of renewable energy sources continues, and “overall energy prices remain high.” According to the report’s authors, “the EU maintains a strong position in international trade in the face of fierce global competition, but strategic dependencies remain high.”

30 leading economies in the world in international trade. Source: 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁

Maritime industries under pressure from Asia

In the case of the maritime economy, this is particularly evident in the shipbuilding, ship repair, and recycling industries. But also in aquaculture food production and fisheries. We still maintain a strong position in yacht and boat production. We are losing ground in scientific research and development and vocational education. Asian countries are taking over fields where European countries were well-positioned.

This heralds further regulations rather than a withdrawal of the announced restrictions on administrative interference in business activity. Previously, it was announced that “new measures will be taken to reduce administrative burdens.” The report also includes an annual “enforcement program for single market regulations.”

According to the European Commission, “The single market is a shock absorber and a driver of resilience that Europe needs in uncertain times.” According to the report’s authors, “It provides a stable business environment based on strong institutions.” One question reveals that “the single market remains Europe’s strongest economic asset,” yet at the same time, “its full potential is still limited by persistent barriers at the EU and national levels.”

The conclusion is bleak, especially for producers of final goods, such as merchant and fishing vessels, yachts and boats, ship and naval equipment, and the construction of surface and underwater drones. Without components from Asia, it is impossible to equip port terminals and shipyards, logistics centers and warehouses, or build access infrastructure. Aquaculture can be developed based on supplies from outside the European Union, both its infrastructure and many of the components that ensure production.

In the Polish market, shipyards maintaining world-class technological standards include CRIST, PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, and Remontowa. Polish yacht shipyards demonstrate high quality. Competitive production quality and HACCP standards are ensured by fish product plants. Transshipment terminals, logistics companies, forwarding companies, and agencies represent a high level of expertise.

 

(Not) single (not) market

The Single Market encompasses the economies of 31 countries, including maritime economies. It encompasses the 27 EU Member States and, with some exceptions, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway under the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). Switzerland is also part of it under bilateral agreements.

The Single Market facilitates the free movement of goods, capital, services, and people, known as the “four freedoms” enshrined in the EU Treaties. Indeed, the market is extremely diverse. And technological and development gaps remain significant. This is evidenced by various comparisons and statistics, including the Innovation Index and the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index.

At the end of January, the European Commission adopted its annual report on the Single Market and Competitiveness for 2026. “It highlights the unprecedented challenges to competitiveness in an unstable geopolitical situation,” the press release states, and hopefully states: “The Single Market is a shock absorber and a driver of resilience that Europe needs in uncertain times. It provides a stable business environment based on strong institutions.”

Maritime industries face the same challenges as developed EU member economies. This is the result of an analysis of 29 key performance indicators for economies operating within the EU single market. The risk of industrial erosion and loss of advantage in the race for innovation also applies to maritime industries.

Strategic economic dependencies are evident, for example, in the development of European fleets based on deliveries from Asian shipyards, in registering ships under flags of convenience, and in attracting workers from around the world. Threats are clearly visible in the ever-increasing supply of imported products to container terminals, and in the import of gas, oil, and other goods.