European industry faces competitiveness and supply chain challenges

At the Forum Nowego Przemysłu 2026 in Katowice, business leaders warned that European industrial competitiveness requires more than just tariffs and subsidies. Participants emphasized that high energy costs, excessive regulations, and lengthy investment procedures hinder the ability of European firms to compete with the United States and China. Roman Przybylski, CEO of Grupa Kęty, advocated for deregulation and a return to the fundamentals of the single market to foster production.

In a related push for technological sovereignty, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung proposed the establishment of a Taiwanese technology park near Wrocław, Poland. Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, Lin argued that European dependence on China poses a threat to the continent's freedom and sovereignty. He suggested that instead of replacing one dependency with another, Taiwan proposes building shared manufacturing capabilities on European soil, citing existing investments by companies like TSMC and Foxconn in Europe as models for securing supply chains.