On June 11, the European Economic and Social Committee’s Consultative Commission on Industrial Change convened experts to discuss the future of Europe’s battery industry. Speakers underlined the need for a unified strategy combining investment, innovation, manufacturing capacity and social responsibility to secure Europe’s industrial leadership in battery technologies.
Alain Coheur, President of the Consultative Commission, noted that Europe faces stiff global competition, high production costs, supply chain risks and rapid technological change. He emphasized that batteries are more than commodities—they are essential enablers of decarbonization, energy security and industrial transformation.
Participants agreed that Europe must reduce its reliance on imported raw materials, compete with subsidized markets, secure affordable energy for production, maintain strict sustainability standards and protect quality jobs. Thomas Pellerin Carlin, Member of the European Parliament, highlighted the importance of a predictable regulatory framework, pointing to the role of the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, Net-Zero Industry Act and Battery Regulation in providing clarity for manufacturers. He warned that rolling back CO2 standards for vehicles would undermine demand and jeopardize the emerging battery sector.
Joanna Drake, Deputy Director in the European Commission’s Research and Innovation Directorate, stressed that current geopolitical tensions and volatile energy markets underscore the strategic value of batteries for Europe’s autonomy and competitiveness.
A focal point of the debate was sodium-ion technology, which the EESC has identified as a promising alternative to lithium-based systems. Sodium batteries offer potential advantages in cost, environmental impact and resource diversity, and could strengthen Europe’s energy independence. Although global production—largely dominated by China—remains nascent, experts argued that Europe has a window of opportunity to shape the industry’s future if it invests in research, scales manufacturing and aligns public and private funding.
Speakers called for a comprehensive European battery roadmap to translate the Commission’s Battery Booster Strategy into concrete measures covering innovation, production, recycling and workforce development. They urged long-term financing via the next Multiannual Financial Framework, robust support for SMEs, and incentive schemes that link aid to job creation, social standards and local content requirements. Such an ecosystem-based approach, they said, would help Europe build a competitive, sustainable and socially responsible battery industry.
