Frankfurt/Brussels, 24 October 2025 – VDMA Executive Director Thilo Brodtmann comments on the result of the European Council meeting focusing on the EU 2040 climate target:

• “It is good that European Council is still aiming for an ambitious EU climate goal 2040. What is now needed is that the Environmental Ministers agree on their position with regard to the climate target. We support the call for providing the necessary enabling conditions for industry to achieve this climate goal.”

• “A swift adoption of the Council’s position on the EU 2040 climate target is crucial during the special meeting of Environmental Ministers on 4 November. This meeting must provide clarity and direction before the negotiations with the European Parliament.”

• “The proposed revision clause, which will bring a review of the climate target in the 2030s, can help to align climate and competitiveness. Such a clause shouldn’t risk investments in technologies and business models.”

• “The EU should demonstrate strong climate leadership ahead of the COP30 meeting in mid-November, particularly given the absence of United States. A clear and unified European position on the new climate target sends the right signal for global climate action.”

• “Climate targets must be underpinned by coherent and implementable legislation, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The enabling role of green technologies should be recognised and strengthened in the making of the 2040 policy framework.”

    Executive Director Thilo Brodtmann    

VDMA represents 3600 German and European mechanical and plant engineering companies. The industry stands for innovation, export orientation and SMEs. The companies employ around 3 million people in the EU-27, more than 1.2 million of them in Germany alone. This makes mechanical and plant engineering the largest employer among the capital goods industries, both in the EU-27 and in Germany. In the European Union, it represents a turnover volume of an estimated 870 billion euros.
Around 80 percent of the machinery sold in the EU comes from a manufacturing plant in the domestic market.