Batteries: A European success story seminar 10 September 14:00-15:30

Hosted by:
MEP Ismail Ertug: S&D Vice-President for Transformation, Innovation and a Strong Digital Europe

Keynote speeches by:

• MEP Miapetra Kumpula-Natri:  Co-Chair of the EP Intergroup on “Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development”
• MEP Jerzy Buzek: ITRE Member, Former EP President and ITRE Chair
• Maroš Šefčovič:  Vice-President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, in charge of the European Battery Alliance

Batteries, as a value chain of strategic importance, are essential for delivering on our shared European priorities – accelerating the green and digital transition, while strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and position as a global player. Batteries will play a decisive role in the future energy systems, integrating renewable energy that is expected to reach 80 percent in 2050. They will also be key for the rollout of clean mobility, with some 10 million electric vehicles projected to be sold in the EU as of 2030.  Batteries offer a tangible opportunity to create up to five million high-value jobs and a market worth €250 billion annually as of 2025.

In October 2017, Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič launched the European Battery Alliance (EBA) to build a competitive, sustainable and innovative battery ecosystem in Europe, covering the entire value chain, from raw materials’ ethical sourcing and refining, battery cell production, to recycling and re-use. By doing so, the EBA is set to prevent Europe’s technological dependence on our competitors (84% of batteries produced in Asia and only 6% in Europe) and to maintain our industrial leadership, notably in automotive sector.

In the span of three years, the EBA has become Europe’s true success story. It has attracted over 400 industrial and innovation actors and secured, thanks to our cooperation with the European Investment Bank, some €100 billion in investments along the entire value chain. Several industrial projects have emerged across Member States.

In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, there is a strong determination by participants to accelerate this crucial work, including projects along the value chain. This will bolster Europe’s resilience and strategic autonomy in one of the key industrial ecosystem. The active role of and close partnership with the European Parliament will be inevitable.

The “Friends of Batteries” Group aims to facilitate such cooperation. Its launch will allow discussing with the Members of the European Parliament our joint strategic action necessary to fast-track the work under the EBA and thus, contribute to Europe’ recovery. This will include establishing a new fit-for-future regulatory framework, leveraging investment, fostering cross-regional cooperation on innovative projects, stepping-up research and innovation, and adopting a strategic approach to critical raw materials to strengthen crucial future markets in a sustainable way.

We are looking forward to your participation and jointly supporting the European Union’s recovery, aimed to build a more sustainable, competitive and more resilient economy.