EU ProSun welcomes the joint initiative of the French president Hollande and Germany to strengthen the European solar industry in global competition. At the same time, EU ProSun would like to point out that today Europe already possesses sufficient module and cell production capacity. However, in the last few years, unfair trade practices and dumping prices have greatly affected the market and weakened the competitive position of the domestic industry despite its technological advantage.

"The signal from Germany and France is clear: Europe has to bet on a strong solar industry. But more important than new production capacity is planning security for the solar companies that still exist in Europe," says Milan Nitzschke, president of EU ProSun. "Solar markets like Germany were already greatly affected in 2013. If governments cannot guarantee planning security now, the best factory buildings in the world will not help."

Only last week, the German Federal Cabinet approved the final EEG key issue paper of the Federal Minister of Economics, thus triggering great uncertainty in the industry and among end customers. EU ProSun fears that as a result of the new proposal, not only key technologies like photovoltaics and energy storage will be hindered, but that the future of a sustainable, decentralized and secure energy supply is at risk." The policy goal should be the support of industry standards and the promotion of innovation. The last thing that Europe needs now is technology hurdles like an EEG apportionment for the self-consumption of clean solar energy."

Since its foundation in 2012, the industry initiative EU ProSun has promoted a strong European solar industry, fair competition and the sustainable development of solar power as an important pillar of the future energy supply.

Source: EU ProSun/prosun.org