German Go-It-Alone Response to Biden’s Green Subsidy Plan Sets Off Alarm for EU

France and Spain concerned that German firms get unfair help
Paris and Madrid are pushing for a joint EU response instead

Joe Biden
Photographer: Ting Shen/Bloomberg

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By Ania Nussbaum and Alonso Soto

December 14, 2022 at 2:11 PM UTC

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Berlin’s response to Joe Biden’s green subsidy plan is setting off alarm bells in Paris and Madrid, where officials are concerned it could give German firms an unfair advantage over their European rivals.

While the German government is considering a €10 billion ($10.7 billion) package of support for companies switching to green technology, France and Spain want to see European Union leaders come up with a joint response, officials from those capitals said.