Balgarianovinite.com The conference “Metals as a strategic asset for EU independence and industrial leadership. Bulgaria’s contribution to sustainable growth” was held on Friday in Sofia. Among the topics that were discussed were metals in the global world, the European Union’s policies for industrial acceleration, competitiveness and decarbonization, Bulgaria’s place on the EU industrial map, energy and industry, competitiveness and accelerated growth, regulations and regimes – reduction of administrative burdens and regulations, simplified procedures.
Deputy Minister of Energy Lyubomira Gancheva stated that Bulgaria has retained its strategic advantage in sustainable metal extraction using modern methods. According to Gancheva, the topic of the conference is timely and relevant both from the point of view of the geopolitical uncertainty we are in and the global competition. “For many years, Europe lived with the belief that if it relied only on clean technologies, this would ensure the necessary economic growth, but it became clear that current trends impose new needs,” she pointed out. Gancheva believes that sustainable development cannot be achieved without the mining industry achieving sustainable development.
MEP Tsvetelina Penkova, who is a member of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group said that metallurgy is not a peripheral sector, but the foundation on which the competitiveness of the European Union (EU) should be built. Penkova pointed out that there are no equal conditions in the EU for different countries in terms of metallurgy. In Southeast Europe, the sector is in a more difficult situation in terms of its competitiveness, she said, adding that the lack of equal conditions is due to higher electricity prices and the lack of connectivity of the electricity transmission network. According to her, the industry will probably face difficulties in the next few months. According to her, there are several reasons for this. These include rising prices of natural gas due to geopolitical tensions, network connectivity, prices of carbon emissions, which have an impact on energy-intensive industries, as well as the global market for metals and raw materials – overproduction and unregulated imports from third countries.
Radan Kanev, MEP, a member of the European People’s Party group said that heavy industry and clean technologies need to be combined, because they only make sense together. According to him, when it comes to the competitiveness of the European economy, the conflict between clean industry and traditional electro-intensive industries is artificial and economically absurd. “Clean industry is impossible without high-quality development of heavy industry. Without the production of base metals and rare metals, there can be no clean industry, and this is visible throughout Europe,” Kanev pointed out. He stressed that European metallurgy must become price-competitive.
MEP Ilhan Kucuk from the Renew Europe group said that this European Parliament will insist on less bureaucracy and clear rules for legislation in order to ensure sustainability. “What is being observed is the slower pace of legislation and that the European Commission will be monitored with much greater attention,” he stressed. Regarding the European Commission’s Omnibus package, the MEP pointed out that this is a new approach that is being introduced in this EP and EC with the idea of many legislative acts being collapsed as a space for interaction in order to reduce administration. Sofia Hosts Metals Conference, Experts Discuss Industrial Policy, Competitiveness 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-05-22 09:55:08 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law