(de-news.net) – The Minister-President of Saarland, Anke Rehlinger (SPD), has put forward the proposition of establishing a European Union initiative dedicated to renewable energy and hydrogen. She suggested that such could infuse new dynamism into the European project while simultaneously drawing inspiration from the European Coal and Steel Community of the 1950s. Economic and energy resilience, alongside independence, were fundamental requisites for Europe—concepts that had been articulated by French President Emmanuel Macron under the broader framework of European sovereignty, Rehlinger pointed out. This autonomy, she indicated, extends beyond foreign and defense policy, encompassing industrial sectors as well as the procurement of essential raw materials and resources.

Rehlinger emphasized that the border regions exemplified the possibilities inherent in shared infrastructure, cross-border healthcare services, mobility solutions, and scientific collaboration. Such tangible instances of cooperation, she argued, reinforced the essence of solidarity and mutual understanding, which she deemed indispensable for fostering enduring friendships across nations.