Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné, in a written answer on 13 July 2026, defended the European Commission's industrial and environmental policies against criticism that they contribute to deindustrialisation, following a parliamentary question about Electrolux's restructuring plan affecting 1,700 jobs in Italy. The answer, addressed to MEPs Anna Maria Cisint, Paolo Borchia, and Silvia Sardone (all from the Patriots for Europe group), sought to reassure that ongoing simplification measures and the Clean Industrial Deal will support Europe's industrial base while delivering on the green transition.
Séjourné confirmed that EU research and innovation funding received by Electrolux Italy under FP7, Horizon 2020, and Horizon Europe was not conditional on job protection or maintaining production capacity, as such criteria are not part of the eligibility or award criteria for those programmes. He pointed to several Commission initiatives aimed at strengthening the EU economy and reducing administrative burden, including the Clean Industrial Deal, the Industrial Accelerator Act, and omnibus regulations. As a concrete example, he cited the Energy Product Legislation Omnibus proposal, which simplifies energy labelling rules for appliance manufacturers while preserving consumer benefits through digital tools.
On the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), Séjourné noted that the Commission continuously monitors its implementation and has already presented two proposals to revise it: one to simplify the mechanism and expand its scope to certain downstream goods, and another to strengthen anti-circumvention. Co-legislators have adopted simplifications and are examining the second proposal. The answer did not announce new measures specific to Electrolux, but rather reiterated existing policy directions. The Commission's stance signals a continued commitment to the green transition while pursuing regulatory simplification, aiming to balance environmental goals with industrial competitiveness. No immediate institutional follow-up was indicated beyond ongoing legislative processes on CBAM and simplification files.