EU proposes emergency powers over supply chains, raising concerns among some companies

European Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager and Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton at a press conference on the Single Market Emergency Instrument, Monday 19 September 2022. | Stephanie Lecocq/EPA-EFE © Stephanie Lecocq/EPA-EFE

Under draft legislation that would give Brussels emergency powers to tackle future supply chain crises, Europe-based companies could be made to prioritise the production of key products and stockpile goods.

The Single Market Emergency Instrument put forward by the EU Commission on Monday comes in response to bottlenecks caused by the Covid -19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.