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Today, Switzerland is celebrating its national holiday and the European Union is celebrating the entry into force of the AI Act. However, it remains to be seen whether the latter is really a reason to celebrate. There are still many unanswered questions, not only the digital association Bitkom complains. Whether Germany and Europe will become innovation hubs for artificial intelligence depends crucially on the further design and implementation of the AI Act, says Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst.
In fact, there is still a lot to do: The Commission alone still has to draw up 70 implementing and delegated acts. The German government also has some homework to do. The industry is calling for a proposal for a national implementation law for the AI Act soon. After all, companies want to know where they stand. This also requires that the national market surveillance authorities and conformity assessment bodies are provided with the necessary human and financial resources.
However, the industry is also called upon to play an active role, for example in the development of standards and norms. Preferably standards that are also recognized internationally. The most important thing, however, is that despite all the laws, guidelines and standards, we do not forget to use AI, incorporate it into business processes and develop it (further). Then Aug. 1 will soon not only be Switzerland’s birthday, but also the birth of successful European AI.
I wish you a good start to the day.
More than a decade ago, the then-world-leading German solar manufacturers collapsed as Chinese companies entered global markets, coinciding with Berlin ceasing support for the sector. Since then, China has dominated the global photovoltaic market, holding a 90 percent market share in solar installations, with even higher shares in some components. Now, some European solar companies are considering forming joint ventures in Europe with their Chinese suppliers.
“The idea is to locate the core technologies of photovoltaics with large production capacities in Europe,” explains Henning Rath, Chief Supply Chain Manager at the solar company Enpal. Discussions with technology partners in China have been ongoing for about a year. For each production step – polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells, modules – up to four partners from the EU and China are involved in the plans. Rath did not name the companies involved in his conversation with Table.Briefings. These joint ventures could produce more cheaply due to the participation of Chinese firms, providing direct access to China’s advanced solar technology.
Although much technological knowledge still exists in Europe in theory, it is increasingly less utilized due to the local solar sector’s struggles. The unexpected rapid price decline in the summer of 2023, due to an overabundance of ordered but unneeded solar modules from China, led to several manufacturers in Germany closing. Meyer Burger, one of Europe’s largest solar manufacturers, had planned to build new factories in Germany but instead closed its module plant in Freiberg, Saxony, and expanded in the USA, where substantial subsidies for the entire supply chain are available, unlike in Europe.
In Europe, the supply chain is almost nonexistent. According to a recent study by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), German company Wacker Chemie is the only European company among the top five globally in the raw material polysilicon. However, Wacker also has significant operations in China.
China’s solar sector continues to grow and develop rapidly despite overcapacity. For instance, by the end of 2023, China’s silicon wafer production capacity reached 953 gigawatts (GW), nearly 98 percent of the global total. In Hubei province, the world’s largest sodium-ion battery energy storage project has been launched. Energy storage is also a significant topic in Europe.
European companies now want to benefit from the technological advancements of their often state-supported Chinese partners. According to Rath, the European partners in the joint ventures will hold the majority shares, and there will be a technology transfer from China to Europe. “The technology transfer involves not only new product technology but also production technology,” including machines for producing solar components.
“We haven’t necessarily forgotten this area in Germany over the last 20 to 30 years, but outsourced it, arrogantly believing we could develop things but produce them in low-wage countries. This has now backfired on the EU,” Rath explains, “because we can no longer produce along the photovoltaic value chain and must now bring it back to Europe through partnerships.”
The German government appears willing to accept China as a supplier, recognizing that rebuilding an entire industry is disproportionately expensive and not competitive. China’s high production capacities are seen as an opportunity to maintain significant growth in solar capacities.
Thus, imports from China and establishing Chinese providers in Europe to regain domestic value creation are key elements in the government’s considerations. According to the ECFR study, while the analysis of risks and opportunities of cooperation with China in the cleantech sector has just begun, the risks in solar are comparatively low.
The plan to establish Chinese providers aligns with Enpal and its partners’ goals. Rath states that discussions with Chinese technology leaders and European partners about the joint venture project have been ongoing for about a year. The discussions involve determining roles, project capitalization and scaling up. “We need three things: demand to ensure a certain sales volume, know-how for product development and production expertise,” says Rath. Potential buyers include companies like Enpal, which markets complete solar systems directly to consumers.
Clarity on the project’s size, timing and funding framework is also necessary, including potential support from the German government or the EU. The planned joint ventures cannot proceed without subsidies, but Rath emphasizes that investment support is only needed for a limited period. For solar module production, subsidies are less crucial due to the high level of automation. “Chinese partners are also very open to investing in module production themselves.”
However, producing components like solar cells, wafers or polysilicon, which the partners also plan to manufacture together in Europe, requires significant investment and high operating costs. Discussions are ongoing about how support might be structured, says Rath.
Whether the planned joint ventures will receive political backing is uncertain. “Of course, support from the German government would be nice,” says Rath, aware of political reservations about involving Chinese companies. He emphasizes, “These are flagship projects that we should advance without undue fear.” with Finn Mayer-Kuckuk
“Hey, I’m here!” – This was the motto of Stefan Lock’s first few weeks as the new head of the EU Commission’s regional representation in Bonn. At the beginning of April, he took over from Jochen Pöttgen, who had been transferred to Brussels. After a number of temporary appointments, the oldest regional EU office is now staffed again. In his first few weeks, Lock visited the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Mayor of Bonn, Katja Dörner.
The fact that Stefan Lock is taking on this regional task is quite surprising in view of his previous professional stations. After all, the 58-year-old has spent the past 30 years first working for the UN in New York and then traveling the world for the EU Commission. Bangladesh, Laos, Uganda, Afghanistan and Ethiopia – Lock’s work in development policy has left its mark on him. His experiences in Afghanistan in August 2021 are particularly etched in his memory. When the Taliban took control of the capital Kabul, he had to fly his staff out of the country in a very short space of time. “Those are the days I will never forget for the rest of my life”, says Lock three years later.
Despite this unique experience, it is fair to ask why Lock was drawn back to Germany to represent the Commission in the four federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. A question that friends and colleagues have repeatedly asked him in recent weeks. “It really appealed to me to try something completely different again”, says Lock, adding that returning to his family living in Europe also played a role in his decision.
Stefan Lock hopes to benefit from his experience abroad in his new role. More than almost anyone else, he has an external perspective on Europe, which he now wants to combine with a national internal view. The political scientist knows that the four regions cannot be treated in the same way. “People in Saarland perhaps already look at Europe differently than people in the ‘landlocked’ state of Hesse.” Nevertheless, the cooperation with the neighboring Western European states is what particularly appeals to him about the current task.
However, he would like to address the European regions as well as rural and urban areas. In cooperation with Europe Direkt and the Europapunkt in Bonn, he wants to be present in the area of responsibility. His aim is to “give Europe a face and to humanize contact with the European Commission as an institution”. The external impact in particular is likely to be new for him, as in previous positions outside Europe he has tended to work in the background. At least he already knows North Rhine-Westphalia from his previous positions in Wuppertal and at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in Bonn.
He started his new job shortly before the European elections. He also attended concerts, panel discussions and festivals – always with the aim of bringing people closer to the European project. Providing information is the main focus, but not exclusively: “It should be important for us in the EU to simply listen.”
This applies in particular to young people who may have voted for the first time. But he would also like to enter into a dialog with the older generation. They often have specific questions about their own life situation. Due to the Green Deal or high energy prices, these people often perceive EU legislation as a disadvantage. Lock would like to talk to them to clarify the situation.
To achieve this, Stefan Lock wants to initiate changes in Bonn soon. He is also suggesting a programmatic reform: “We need to reach people who wouldn’t come to us in the first place.” In concrete terms, this means being out and about more, and reaching out to people more. Lock emphasizes that this must not stop after the European elections. With the constitution of the Commission in the fall, new tasks await the representation. Jasper Bennink
Today, Switzerland is celebrating its national holiday and the European Union is celebrating the entry into force of the AI Act. However, it remains to be seen whether the latter is really a reason to celebrate. There are still many unanswered questions, not only the digital association Bitkom complains. Whether Germany and Europe will become innovation hubs for artificial intelligence depends crucially on the further design and implementation of the AI Act, says Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst.
In fact, there is still a lot to do: The Commission alone still has to draw up 70 implementing and delegated acts. The German government also has some homework to do. The industry is calling for a proposal for a national implementation law for the AI Act soon. After all, companies want to know where they stand. This also requires that the national market surveillance authorities and conformity assessment bodies are provided with the necessary human and financial resources.
However, the industry is also called upon to play an active role, for example in the development of standards and norms. Preferably standards that are also recognized internationally. The most important thing, however, is that despite all the laws, guidelines and standards, we do not forget to use AI, incorporate it into business processes and develop it (further). Then Aug. 1 will soon not only be Switzerland’s birthday, but also the birth of successful European AI.
I wish you a good start to the day.
More than a decade ago, the then-world-leading German solar manufacturers collapsed as Chinese companies entered global markets, coinciding with Berlin ceasing support for the sector. Since then, China has dominated the global photovoltaic market, holding a 90 percent market share in solar installations, with even higher shares in some components. Now, some European solar companies are considering forming joint ventures in Europe with their Chinese suppliers.
“The idea is to locate the core technologies of photovoltaics with large production capacities in Europe,” explains Henning Rath, Chief Supply Chain Manager at the solar company Enpal. Discussions with technology partners in China have been ongoing for about a year. For each production step – polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells, modules – up to four partners from the EU and China are involved in the plans. Rath did not name the companies involved in his conversation with Table.Briefings. These joint ventures could produce more cheaply due to the participation of Chinese firms, providing direct access to China’s advanced solar technology.
Although much technological knowledge still exists in Europe in theory, it is increasingly less utilized due to the local solar sector’s struggles. The unexpected rapid price decline in the summer of 2023, due to an overabundance of ordered but unneeded solar modules from China, led to several manufacturers in Germany closing. Meyer Burger, one of Europe’s largest solar manufacturers, had planned to build new factories in Germany but instead closed its module plant in Freiberg, Saxony, and expanded in the USA, where substantial subsidies for the entire supply chain are available, unlike in Europe.
In Europe, the supply chain is almost nonexistent. According to a recent study by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), German company Wacker Chemie is the only European company among the top five globally in the raw material polysilicon. However, Wacker also has significant operations in China.
China’s solar sector continues to grow and develop rapidly despite overcapacity. For instance, by the end of 2023, China’s silicon wafer production capacity reached 953 gigawatts (GW), nearly 98 percent of the global total. In Hubei province, the world’s largest sodium-ion battery energy storage project has been launched. Energy storage is also a significant topic in Europe.
European companies now want to benefit from the technological advancements of their often state-supported Chinese partners. According to Rath, the European partners in the joint ventures will hold the majority shares, and there will be a technology transfer from China to Europe. “The technology transfer involves not only new product technology but also production technology,” including machines for producing solar components.
“We haven’t necessarily forgotten this area in Germany over the last 20 to 30 years, but outsourced it, arrogantly believing we could develop things but produce them in low-wage countries. This has now backfired on the EU,” Rath explains, “because we can no longer produce along the photovoltaic value chain and must now bring it back to Europe through partnerships.”
The German government appears willing to accept China as a supplier, recognizing that rebuilding an entire industry is disproportionately expensive and not competitive. China’s high production capacities are seen as an opportunity to maintain significant growth in solar capacities.
Thus, imports from China and establishing Chinese providers in Europe to regain domestic value creation are key elements in the government’s considerations. According to the ECFR study, while the analysis of risks and opportunities of cooperation with China in the cleantech sector has just begun, the risks in solar are comparatively low.
The plan to establish Chinese providers aligns with Enpal and its partners’ goals. Rath states that discussions with Chinese technology leaders and European partners about the joint venture project have been ongoing for about a year. The discussions involve determining roles, project capitalization and scaling up. “We need three things: demand to ensure a certain sales volume, know-how for product development and production expertise,” says Rath. Potential buyers include companies like Enpal, which markets complete solar systems directly to consumers.
Clarity on the project’s size, timing and funding framework is also necessary, including potential support from the German government or the EU. The planned joint ventures cannot proceed without subsidies, but Rath emphasizes that investment support is only needed for a limited period. For solar module production, subsidies are less crucial due to the high level of automation. “Chinese partners are also very open to investing in module production themselves.”
However, producing components like solar cells, wafers or polysilicon, which the partners also plan to manufacture together in Europe, requires significant investment and high operating costs. Discussions are ongoing about how support might be structured, says Rath.
Whether the planned joint ventures will receive political backing is uncertain. “Of course, support from the German government would be nice,” says Rath, aware of political reservations about involving Chinese companies. He emphasizes, “These are flagship projects that we should advance without undue fear.” with Finn Mayer-Kuckuk
“Hey, I’m here!” – This was the motto of Stefan Lock’s first few weeks as the new head of the EU Commission’s regional representation in Bonn. At the beginning of April, he took over from Jochen Pöttgen, who had been transferred to Brussels. After a number of temporary appointments, the oldest regional EU office is now staffed again. In his first few weeks, Lock visited the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Mayor of Bonn, Katja Dörner.
The fact that Stefan Lock is taking on this regional task is quite surprising in view of his previous professional stations. After all, the 58-year-old has spent the past 30 years first working for the UN in New York and then traveling the world for the EU Commission. Bangladesh, Laos, Uganda, Afghanistan and Ethiopia – Lock’s work in development policy has left its mark on him. His experiences in Afghanistan in August 2021 are particularly etched in his memory. When the Taliban took control of the capital Kabul, he had to fly his staff out of the country in a very short space of time. “Those are the days I will never forget for the rest of my life”, says Lock three years later.
Despite this unique experience, it is fair to ask why Lock was drawn back to Germany to represent the Commission in the four federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. A question that friends and colleagues have repeatedly asked him in recent weeks. “It really appealed to me to try something completely different again”, says Lock, adding that returning to his family living in Europe also played a role in his decision.
Stefan Lock hopes to benefit from his experience abroad in his new role. More than almost anyone else, he has an external perspective on Europe, which he now wants to combine with a national internal view. The political scientist knows that the four regions cannot be treated in the same way. “People in Saarland perhaps already look at Europe differently than people in the ‘landlocked’ state of Hesse.” Nevertheless, the cooperation with the neighboring Western European states is what particularly appeals to him about the current task.
However, he would like to address the European regions as well as rural and urban areas. In cooperation with Europe Direkt and the Europapunkt in Bonn, he wants to be present in the area of responsibility. His aim is to “give Europe a face and to humanize contact with the European Commission as an institution”. The external impact in particular is likely to be new for him, as in previous positions outside Europe he has tended to work in the background. At least he already knows North Rhine-Westphalia from his previous positions in Wuppertal and at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in Bonn.
He started his new job shortly before the European elections. He also attended concerts, panel discussions and festivals – always with the aim of bringing people closer to the European project. Providing information is the main focus, but not exclusively: “It should be important for us in the EU to simply listen.”
This applies in particular to young people who may have voted for the first time. But he would also like to enter into a dialog with the older generation. They often have specific questions about their own life situation. Due to the Green Deal or high energy prices, these people often perceive EU legislation as a disadvantage. Lock would like to talk to them to clarify the situation.
To achieve this, Stefan Lock wants to initiate changes in Bonn soon. He is also suggesting a programmatic reform: “We need to reach people who wouldn’t come to us in the first place.” In concrete terms, this means being out and about more, and reaching out to people more. Lock emphasizes that this must not stop after the European elections. With the constitution of the Commission in the fall, new tasks await the representation. Jasper Bennink