German Association Urges Strategic “Buy European” Policy
The German Shipbuilding and Ocean Industries Association (VSM) is calling on European leaders to adopt a pragmatic industrial strategy as debate intensifies around a proposed “Buy European” approach tied to public spending in strategic sectors.
In a statement issued during an informal meeting of the European Council in Belgium, VSM argued that requiring a defined level of European value creation in publicly funded projects should not be framed as protectionism. Instead, the association said such measures represent “industrial policy common sense” designed to strengthen competitiveness and resilience across key sectors, including shipbuilding, offshore energy, maritime security and defense.
The industry body stressed that the concept does not imply closing markets or automatically favoring European suppliers across all industries. Rather, it calls for ensuring that taxpayer-funded initiatives tied to strategic interests deliver tangible industrial benefits within Europe. According to VSM, global competitors routinely link public contracts and subsidies to domestic production, placing European firms at a disadvantage if similar mechanisms are not adopted.
VSM Managing Director Reinhard Lüken said it is both legitimate and necessary for public investment to reinforce European production capacity and maintain critical maritime capabilities. He warned policymakers not to confuse market openness with what he described as “industrial policy naïveté.”
The association is urging EU heads of state to treat competitiveness as a strategic priority tied to technological sovereignty and industrial resilience. It maintains that a carefully structured European preference framework could help ensure fair competition while safeguarding the continent’s industrial base — particularly in sectors facing rising global subsidies and intensifying geopolitical competition.
