At 30 September 2025, the EU-27 energy and industry ministers dedicated an entire morning session to Europe’s solar PV manufacturing – a clear recognition that this sector is strategic for Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and clean energy transition. Ministers, together with Vice-President of the European Commission Stéphane Séjourné, underlined the need for urgent action to strengthen the value chain and maintain production capacity in Europe.
“I was impressed by the strong commitment to solar PV manufacturing in Europe expressed by many ministers, not least their strong support for a Made in Europe label in public tenders,” says Christopher Podewils, Secretary General of ESMC, who participated in person at the summit at the European Commission’s Berlaymont building in Brussels.
This strong political signal was followed by the ESIA Annual Meeting, which brought together policymakers, manufacturers, and finance experts for panels on how to turn ambition into action. A highlight was the intervention by Eike Klapper (European Commission, Unit C1 – Access to Finance), who confirmed that the EU will move towards operational support (OPEX, e.g. production support or tax credits for manufacturing) for clean-tech manufacturing through the new Competitiveness Fund, which will be linked to existing EU funding instruments such as the Innovation Fund.
“We strongly welcome this shift towards OPEX support from the European Commission, but time is running out. European manufacturers need support now,” says Podewils.
“Europe has the political will and the industrial know-how. The challenge now is to turn commitments into concrete, fast-track support for solar PV manufacturing,” he continues.