The EU’s clean tech revolution is no longer on the horizon, it’s here, and it’s accelerating. With the new European Commission settled in and everyone on the same competitiveness boat, the political stars are aligning to fast-track the execution of the Clean Industrial Deal that puts clean technologies at the heart of Europe’s growth strategy.
Announced within the symbolic first 100 days of the new Commission, the Clean Industrial Deal lays out a roadmap to cut energy costs, boost competitiveness, and harmonise fragmented regulation, while ramping up sustainable innovation across the bloc. But this is more than policy signalling. In the coming months, we expect a wave of concrete proposals, from manufacturing incentives and procurement reforms to measures supporting domestic supply chains and critical raw materials.
For business leaders, the timing is critical. With decisions on investment, supply chain relocation, and compliance on the line, the message is clear: Europe wants its industrial future to be clean, smart, and strategically sovereign. Companies that move now, stand to gain a first-mover advantage in a market poised for transformation.
Poland’s Presidency programme underlines this shift, stressing the need to reduce dependency on foreign technologies and materials, an essential step in reinforcing Europe’s industrial resilience amid growing geopolitical and economic pressures.
What is clean tech and why should businesses care?
Clean tech includes products, services, and processes that reduce emissions and resource consumption, such as wind turbines, solar photovoltaic (PV), heat pumps, electrolysers, battery cells, and circular manufacturing technologies. These are not niche innovations. They are now central to economic competitiveness, regulatory compliance, and investment strategy.
The Clean Industrial Deal recognises that without domestic manufacturing capacity for these technologies, the EU will remain dependent on imported solutions, often from global competitors with more aggressive subsidy regimes. For businesses, this means new support to scale EU’s clean tech-based production, shorter permitting timelines, and greater certainty in public procurement policies that prioritise sustainability and European-made solutions.
At the same time, energy-intensive companies, especially in steel, chemicals, cement, and aluminum, will see increased support for switching to clean energy, improving efficiency, and deploying carbon capture. These sectors are at the centre of the Deal’s ambition to turn decarbonisation into a growth engine.
The European Parliament has reinforced this message in its January 2025 research on EU’s clean tech in the energy sector. It highlights that while EU clean tech deployment is growing, global market share is declining, calling for urgent action on manufacturing scale-up, permitting reform, and access to raw materials.
Mobilising finance and market demand for EU’s clean tech businesses
For EU’s clean tech businesses, the financial tools in the Clean Industrial Deal are particularly relevant. The Deal proposes over €100 billion in public and leveraged funding to support EU-based clean tech manufacturing and industrial decarbonisation. This includes:
- A new Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework to fast-track approval of aid for renewable energy, industrial transition, and clean tech manufacturing
- An expanded Innovation Fund and a proposal for an Industrial Decarbonisation Bank to finance strategic investments
- Reform of InvestEU to increase financial guarantees and de-risk private sector involvement in clean tech
In parallel, demand-side measures are set to drive predictable markets for EU-made clean technologies. The proposed Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act introduces sustainability and resilience criteria in both public and private procurement. A revised public procurement framework by 2026 will further strengthen ‘Made in Europe’ rules for strategic sectors, good news for clean tech businesses seeking market traction.
The message from EU policymakers to businesses is clear: if you manufacture or deploy clean technologies in Europe, the regulatory and funding environment is moving in your favour. But acting early is essential to secure first-mover advantages in funding and market positioning.
Industry voices are pushing for even more ambition. Ahead of the launch of the Clean Industrial Deal, in an open letter, Clean tech for Europe urged the European Commission to ensure the Clean Industrial Deal includes strong lead markets, better de-risking tools, and stable carbon pricing frameworks. The letter specifically calls for “a compelling business case for competitive decarbonisation” and large-scale private investment mobilisation.
Real-world impact: EU’s clean tech examples
For businesses, the effects of the Deal will be visible in the EU’s clean tech sectors already scaling up. European battery production is ramping up in places like France, Sweden, and Hungary. EU-backed projects are increasing local capacity for energy storage and mobility solutions—critical to the twin goals of decarbonisation and strategic autonomy.
Hydrogen is another key example. Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands are deploying large-scale green hydrogen production and infrastructure. These projects, often supported by EU and national funds, are emblematic of how clean tech is becoming the industrial backbone of the energy transition.
Circularity also plays a critical role. The Commission plans to adopt a Circular Economy Act in 2026 to increase recycling, reuse, and the efficient use of critical materials. This will affect how products are designed, how raw materials are sourced, and how industrial waste is managed. For clean tech companies, especially those relying on rare earths or critical minerals, the shift to circular business models is not optional, it’s strategic.
Looking ahead: what businesses should watch for next
The Clean Industrial Deal is more than a one-off policy. It lays the groundwork for a long-term EU clean tech strategy that integrates industrial, energy, trade, and competition policy.
Key initiatives to monitor include:
- The rollout of the Affordable Energy Action Plan, aimed at lowering electricity costs for businesses through clean energy deployment and grid integration
- The creation of a Critical Raw Material Centre to enable joint purchasing and stronger EU supply chains
- The launch of Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships to diversify input sourcing and reinforce European market access abroad
Combined with existing tools like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the Deal is part of the EU’s effort to create a level playing field and shield businesses from carbon leakage and unfair competition.
Poland’s Council Presidency reinforces this forward-looking approach. It supports a flexible energy-climate policy and actions to reduce dependence on imported technologies and critical raw materials, highlighting clean tech as a cornerstone of EU resilience and sovereignty
At Publyon, we help clients engage with these changes proactively, whether by identifying funding opportunities, influencing the rules as they take shape, or mapping the competitive landscape.
For EU-based or EU-facing companies, the Clean Industrial Deal is not just a policy shift, it’s a new industrial era. The companies that succeed will be those that see EU’s clean tech not as a compliance issue, but as a core business opportunity.
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