EU wants less dependence on imported products

The 27-nation bloc has been considering how to become more independent in several strategic areas ever since the Covid-19 pandemic showed that a breakdown of global supply chains could leave the EU without access to pharmaceuticals or microchips.

VERSAILLES: European Union (EU) leaders have pledged to cut their dependence on global suppliers of food, microprocessors, drugs, raw materials and digital technologies, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine added a new argument for the EU to be more self-reliant.

The 27-nation bloc has been considering how to become more independent in several strategic areas ever since the Covid-19 pandemic showed that a breakdown of global supply chains could leave the EU without access to pharmaceuticals or microchips.