The EU is in a crisis regarding the region’s competitiveness, according to one EU report. Productivity, innovation and economic growth are general problems for the region, it states.
The Union must act and Sweden sees that there is potential to take market shares in the battery sector.
Sweden, with the support of Germany and France, has therefore launched a proposal to strengthen the battery sector through financial support and reduced regulatory burden, which Busch will argue for in Brussels.
– Our way of meeting the Northvolt crisis – which is not a Swedish crisis but a European concern – is to put the issue on the agenda and press the commission for a strengthened European battery sector, says Ebba Busch.
“A matter for the entire Western world”
According to Ebba Busch, the green transition is bigger than individual companies – it is geopolitics.
– We cannot afford to be as naive as we were with Russian gas. We cannot risk the green transition in Europe becoming a Chinese transition.
She talks about a conversation with the Canadian Minister of Business, who also emphasizes the issue.
– They see it not only as a European matter but a matter for the entire Western world. To have competitive, high-quality and truly green battery manufacturing on Western soil, says Busch.
She continues:
– They see the risk that China will otherwise do what they did with the solar cell market: Take it over.
Busch on the well-paid Americans
SVT was able to reveal on Wednesday that Northvolt will pay millions in the coming months to two new American board members.
In addition to several 100,000 kroner in monthly salary, the Americans will receive 55,000 kroner for each day they devote four hours of working time to Northvolt.
In the video above, you can hear Ebba Busch commenting on SVT’s revelation and talking about Northvolt’s upcoming American reconstruction.