The EU unveils €100bn green industrial plan to boost competitiveness

The European Commission has unveiled a €100bn plan to support European industries, lower energy costs, and simplify regulations to enhance competitiveness against US and Chinese markets.

Share:

The European Commission has today announced an ambitious €100bn plan aimed at supporting clean manufacturing within the European Union. This initiative, named the “Clean Industrial Deal”, seeks to bolster energy-intensive industries struggling with high energy costs, intense global competition, and complex regulations. The plan also aims to energise Europe’s clean tech sector.

Reducing barriers for European businesses

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the need to eliminate barriers hindering European businesses. She stated: “The demand for clean products has slowed down, and some investments have moved elsewhere. We know that too many barriers still hold back our European companies, from high energy prices to excessive regulatory burdens. The Clean Industrial Deal aims to break the chains holding our businesses back and to provide a real business opportunity for Europe.”

Measures to boost industrial competitiveness

The plan includes several key measures to enhance the EU’s industrial competitiveness:

– Simplifying state aid rules: to facilitate and accelerate the deployment of renewable energies and clean technologies.

– Reducing regulatory burdens: by easing sustainability reporting requirements for companies, aiming for a 25% reduction in administrative burdens by the first half of 2025, which would save European businesses €40bn.

– Action plan for affordable energy: aiming to reduce energy costs by addressing structural challenges, such as reliance on imported fossil fuels and the incomplete integration of the European energy network.

Reactions from industrial stakeholders

Industry leaders have welcomed these initiatives. Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies, commented: “It’s a machine we’ve created in Brussels – I don’t know if we need a DOGE programme – many civil servants who are actually there to create regulations. That’s a problem.” This remark reflects the sentiment that a reassessment of the EU’s regulatory model is necessary to improve industrial competitiveness.

The Commission’s proposals will now be examined by the European Parliament and member states. If adopted, these measures could transform the European industrial landscape, enhancing its competitiveness on the global stage while supporting the transition to a greener economy.

Terna and NPC Ukrenergo have concluded a three-year partnership in Rome aimed at strengthening the integration of the Ukrainian grid into the pan-European system, with an in-depth exchange of technological and regulatory expertise.
GE Vernova has secured a major contract to modernise the Kühmoos substation in Germany, enhancing grid reliability and integration capacity for power flows between Germany, France and Switzerland.
The National Energy System Operator forecasts electricity demand to rise to 785 TWh by 2050, underlining the need to modernise grids and integrate more clean energy to support the UK’s energy transition.
Terna has signed a guarantee agreement with SACE and the European Investment Bank to finance the Adriatic Link project, totalling approximately €1bn ($1.08bn) and validated as a major transaction under Italian regulations.
India unveils a series of reforms on oil and gas contracts, introducing a fiscal stability clause to enhance the sector’s attractiveness for foreign companies and boost its growth ambitions in upstream energy.
The European Commission is launching a special fund of EUR2.3bn ($2.5bn) to boost Ukraine’s reconstruction and attract private capital to the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Asia dominated global new renewable energy capacity in 2024 with 71% of installations, while Africa recorded limited growth of only 7.2%, according to the latest annual report from IRENA.
US President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act dramatically changes energy investment rules, imposing restrictions on renewables while favouring hydrocarbons, according to a recent report by consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie.
On July 8, 2025, the Senate validated the Gremillet bill, aimed at structuring France's energy transition with clear objectives for nuclear power, renewable energies, and energy renovation.
Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru significantly increase renewable electricity production, reaching nearly 70% of the regional electricity mix, according to a recent Wood Mackenzie study on Latin America's energy sector.
The Canadian government announces an investment of more than $40mn to fund 13 energy projects led by Indigenous communities across the country, aiming to improve energy efficiency and increase local renewable energy use.
The German Ministry of Economy plans to significantly expand aid aimed at reducing industrial electricity costs, increasing eligible companies from 350 to 2,200, at an estimated cost of €4bn ($4.7bn).
A major electricity blackout paralyzed large parts of the Czech Republic, interrupting transport and essential networks, raising immediate economic concerns, and highlighting the vulnerability of energy infrastructures to unforeseen technical incidents.
French greenhouse gas emissions are expected to rise by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2025, indicating a global slowdown in reductions forecast for the full year, according to Citepa, an independent organisation responsible for national monitoring.
The Republican budget bill passed by the U.S. Senate accelerates the phase-out of tax credits for renewable energies, favoring fossil fuels and raising economic concerns among solar and wind industry professionals.
Rapid growth in solar and wind capacities will lead to a significant rise in electricity curtailment in Brazil, as existing transmission infrastructure remains inadequate to handle this massive influx of energy, according to a recent study by consulting firm Wood Mackenzie.
In April 2025, fossil fuels represented 49.5% of South Korea's electricity mix, dropping below the symbolic threshold of 50% for the first time, primarily due to a historic decline in coal-generated electricity production.
The US Senate Finance Committee modifies the '45Z' tax credit to standardize the tax treatment of renewable fuels, thereby encouraging advanced biofuel production starting October 2025.
According to the 2025 report on global energy access, despite notable progress in renewable energy, insufficient targeted financing continues to hinder electricity and clean cooking access, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
While advanced economies maintain global energy leadership, China and the United States have significantly progressed in the security and sustainability of their energy systems, according to the World Economic Forum's annual report.