economy
April 25, 2026
European Powers Don't Wait for 'Ecological' Permits from the Street
As the shadow of a new industrial redistribution of cards looms over Europe, Paris is not wasting time. French President Emmanuel Macron, buoyed by the success and symbolism of the record-fast reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral, has decided to apply the same model of 'administrative simplification' to what he considers a pillar of future French power – industry.
TL;DR
- France is accelerating industrial development with 71 billion euros allocated to around 150 major projects.
- A significant project, EMILI, involves a 1.8 billion euro lithium mine to produce 34,000 tons of lithium hydroxide annually by 2030.
- This French initiative aims to boost the national economy, secure sovereignty, and reduce reliance on China for battery production.
- Serbia, despite having quality lithium deposits, is facing paralysis due to protests, which the article describes as undermining its economic future.
- The article contrasts France's rapid progress with Serbia's perceived indecisiveness and self-sabotage, warning of long-term economic losses for Serbia.
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