The European Union’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) represents a significant step toward building a more proactive and coordinated industrial policy aimed at strengthening competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy across key manufacturing sectors. However, industry representatives warn that the legislation must more clearly integrate the upstream raw materials sector to ensure the effectiveness of Europe’s strategic supply chains.
The IAA seeks to stimulate investment and accelerate the development of strategic industries by promoting the production of key technologies and introducing measures such as simplified permitting, “Made-in-EU” criteria and requirements related to low-carbon content. These provisions are intended to create stronger regulatory certainty and targeted incentives capable of mobilising private capital and supporting the EU’s green and digital transitions.
According to industry association Euromines, these policy tools reflect a growing recognition within the EU that achieving climate and technological goals requires a comprehensive industrial strategy capable of aligning supply and demand across critical value chains.
However, the organisation argues that the current framework does not sufficiently address the role of domestic raw materials production. Without stronger links between manufacturing policies and upstream resource extraction, increased demand for strategic goods could fail to translate into greater supply security within the European Union.
Euromines also notes that the proposed reliance on non-preferential rules of origin primarily reinforces final manufacturing stages rather than recognising the strategic importance of raw materials produced within the EU. While cooperation with trusted international partners remains important, extending recognition of EU origin to certain Free Trade Agreement partners may do little to strengthen Europe’s internal resource base.
The organisation has called for greater integration of raw materials policy into the Industrial Accelerator Act, arguing that minerals and metals form the foundation of all strategic industrial value chains.
Euromines said it is prepared to work with EU lawmakers to address these gaps, emphasising that fully incorporating domestic raw materials production into the IAA will be essential for building resilient supply chains and achieving the bloc’s long-term industrial, strategic and climate objectives.
