US ahead of Europe on energy policy

Report of a FT interview with Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, the new chief executive of Franco-Belgian Solvay, May 2012.

He said that Europe’s manufacturers are rapidly losing ground to US rivals because of soaring energy costs and the failure of the continent’s governments to be 'rational' about nuclear power and shale gas. He accused Germany, France and Belgium of acting in isolation on nuclear and gas policy and failing to come up with a coherent strategy to keep Europe’s companies competitive.