The European Parliament is preparing its position on the Industrial Accelerator Act, a key initiative to strengthen Europe’s industrial competitiveness, resilience and decarbonisation. As negotiations advance, the debate is focusing on European preference, investment conditions and the need to ensure a proportionate and workable framework for SMEs.
Published by the European Commission on 4 March 2026, the Industrial Accelerator Act is designed to give new momentum to Europe’s industrial base while making it less exposed to external dependencies and better equipped for the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The proposal brings together several policy tools, using public procurement and state support to strengthen demand for European and low-carbon products, while seeking to accelerate industrial investment through simpler and faster permitting procedures. It also introduces tighter conditions for foreign investment in areas considered strategically sensitive.
In the European Parliament, the file is being examined jointly by the IMCO, ITRE and INTA committees. The deadline for tabling amendments is currently set for 30 September, with a committee vote expected in December.
ENVI, which is contributing in an advisory capacity, published its draft opinion on 17 June. This was followed in July by more than 1,000 amendments from committee members. The key question now is how much of this input will ultimately be reflected in the joint report drawn up by the three lead committees.
Unioncamere supports the overall direction of the proposal, while stressing that European preference will only be effective if it reflects the actual capacity of EU industry, preserves reliable international partnerships and remains workable for SMEs as well as larger manufacturers.
In its view, the success of the IAA will depend as much on improving the conditions for investment and production as on stimulating demand. Preference criteria should therefore be applied pragmatically and with sufficient flexibility across sectors, taking into account the ability of European suppliers to meet market needs. The framework should strengthen competitiveness without creating disproportionate compliance burdens or procurement costs.