The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the newly proposed Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), a flagship initiative designed to strengthen Europe’s industrial base, accelerate decarbonisation and boost demand for low‑carbon and European‑made technologies. Stakeholders are invited to provide feedback until 18 June.

The IAA is a central pillar of the EU’s efforts to reinforce long‑term competitiveness, reduce strategic dependencies and ensure that the clean and digital transitions translate into industrial growth and high‑quality jobs across the Union. It responds directly to the recommendations of the Draghi report on European competitiveness and to commitments made under the Clean Industrial Deal.

The Act introduces a comprehensive framework to:

• Boost demand for European low‑carbon and 'Made in EU' products: the proposal sets targeted requirements for public procurement and public support schemes in strategic sectors such as steel, cement, aluminium, automotive components and net‑zero technologies.
• Simplify and accelerate permitting: to support industrial deployment at scale, the Act requires Member States to establish a single digital one‑stop shop for permitting, with clear time limits and streamlined procedures.
• Support clean industrial clusters: the IAA promotes the creation of Industrial Acceleration Areas, enabling industrial symbiosis, shared infrastructure and area‑wide permitting. These clusters are intended to help regions attract investment, develop skills and accelerate the deployment of clean manufacturing projects.
• Ensure foreign direct investment creates real value in Europe

Regions play a decisive role in Europe’s industrial transformation, from hosting manufacturing ecosystems to coordinating skills, infrastructure and innovation investments. The IAA directly touches on areas where regional authorities and innovation actors have strong expertise and operational responsibilities, including: industrial decarbonisation and energy infrastructure, permitting and spatial planning, support for SMEs and industrial clusters, public procurement and innovation ecosystems, skills development and workforce transition. 

ERRIN encourages its members to engage actively in this consultation to ensure that the regional dimension is fully reflected in the final legislative framework. The consultation is open until 18 June. All feedback submitted will be summarised by the European Commission and transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council as part of the legislative debate.