Industrial Accelerator Act

On 4 March 2026, the European Commission presented its proposal for an Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA). It introduces “Made in Europe” requirements for public procurement and public support schemes and allows restrictions on high-risk suppliers of net-zero technologies. The proposal is now being negotiated in the European Parliament – in the ITRE, IMCO and INTA committees – and in the Council.

For solar, the Commission’s proposal falls short: the European content requirement covers only two components – inverters and cells – and would not apply before 2030. Without a broader scope, Europe will not be able to rebuild the full photovoltaic value chain.

Our position

• Full value chain: Made in Europe should cover all key solar components within five years of entry into force – from polysilicon, ingots and wafers to cells, modules and inverters – and include European production equipment.
• Strict Union origin: the definition should reward manufacturing genuinely located in Europe, with a limited, opt-in extension to close partners such as the UK, Switzerland and Norway rather than to all free-trade partners.
• Early and binding application: Made in Europe should be a pre-qualification criterion and apply as early as possible.
• High-risk suppliers: the EU should swiftly designate high-risk suppliers of solar PV technologies, with particular attention to inverters.

More than 35 companies and institutions from across the European solar industry have backed these demands in a joint letter and position paper. Together with European regions, industrial clusters and trade unions, ESMC is also building an alliance for a credible Made in Europe framework.