Angela Merkel says France, Germany to push European industry strategy at summit

Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel says France and Germany hope to win over other European Union countries to their ideas for a "European industry strategy" at a summit this week.

Leaders of the 28 European Union countries hold a regular summit Thursday and Friday. Merkel said in her weekly video message Saturday that she and French President Emmanuel Macron have proposed discussing the issue as they try to "secure jobs for the future in strategic business areas in Europe." She pointed to "strategic research and innovation projects" such as a German-French push to create a car battery cell consortium aimed at catching up with Asian rivals.

Berlin and Paris last month launched a drive for "European industrial policy," including a push to overhaul EU competition rules to facilitate creation of world-leading companies.

With inputs from agencies.