The European Commission published on June 25th its 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗶𝗱 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 (𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗔𝗙).

Building on the experience with the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (TCTF), CISAF applies as of June 25th 2025 and 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟯𝟬.

CISAF aims to help Member States effectively and efficiently support clean energy deployment, industrial decarbonisation roll-out, and clean technology manufacturing.

Of relevance for the European battery value chain industrial players, we see measures:
– Accelerating the rollout of clean energy
– Providing support for electricity costs for energy-intensive users
– Facilitating industrial decarbonisation
– Developing manufacturing capacity in clean technologies
– De-risking private investments

Unfortunately, there remain issues that will limit the impact of the revised rules and that are putting at risk the development and strengthening of European domestic players along the battery value chain:
– CISAF falls short of allowing Member States to provide output-based production support (similar to the US Inflation Reduction Act) known to boost clean tech output and competitiveness
– CISAF allows support in the form of (semi-)equity, which will not deliver the same benefits and will lead to issues (lack of transparency, favouritism, push back of investors, market distortion, etc.)
– CISAF encourages Member States to apply European preference and resilience criteria in clean tech support, but it does not mandate local content requirements
– CISAF continues to rely on funding gap calculation and claw-back mechanisms that are known to limit the effectiveness of State Aid support

𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙡, 𝘾𝙄𝙎𝘼𝙁 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘼𝙞𝙙 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙣.

𝙒𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡, 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 “𝘽𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧” 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧.

𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙈𝙁𝙁, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙏𝙚𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙗𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙥!

 

 

ICBR 2025 is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and its focus on battery recycling since its beginnings makes it more relevant than ever today.

In particular, the program in Valencia this year will focus on lithium-ion battery recycling, and the increasing number of participants, speakers, and exhibitors demonstrates the importance of communication and knowledge exchange on this issue.

Top industry leaders from the entire life cycle of battery recycling, from mining through use and collection at end of life to repair, reuse and recycling come together at ICBR, with experts and regulators to ensure this industry remains a vital and vibrant part of the circular economy in Europe and worldwide.

The event featured a roundtable discussion focusing on the battery circular economy in Spain, a fully booked exhibition hall, and two very different site visits: one to a Veolia waste management plant and another to the Nanophotonic Technology Center in Valencia.

More information and registration HERE

Attracting over 250 participants from research, industry, and policy, this year’s conference program will include:
• Over 50 technical presentations and 6+ keynotes
• A sponsor exhibition and poster session
• Equal academic and industrial participation

The conference also organises a Call for Abstracts, open until June 27, 2025. Contributions are welcome in the following areas:

Apply HERE

More information HERE

Join the leading event, where European automotive research leaders, industry, European Union and government representatives unite to discuss & shape the industry’s future.

This year’s program:

Tuesday, 30 September 2025:
EARPA General Assembly, Foresight Group & Collaborative Research Group sessions & Networking Reception & Exhibition.
Wednesday, 1 October 2025:
FORM Forum Conference Sessions & Explore the Exhibition

This year’s theme will focus on: Transitioning Road Mobility: Actions to Safeguard Europe’s Competitive Edge. The FORM Forum brings together stakeholders from industry, academia and governments to share of knowledge and ideas, providing the next generation with a new era of automotive solutions whilst serving as a powerful motivator for the continued growth of the automotive industry and its contributors.

The event is open to the whole EARPA community including industry, research, government, and representatives from the European Commission.

Information and registration HERE

The Energy Storage Global Conference (ESGC) offers a unique opportunity for industry, researchers and policymakers to exchange views on key issues faced by the energy storage sector. During three days, representatives will meet in Brussels and online for the 8th edition, at Hotel Le Plaza, on 14 – 16 October 2025, to discuss regulatory and policy frameworks, the future storage market, and the fast-growing sector of the Benelux region.

What can you expect from the #ESGC2025?

More information and registration HERE

 

On 10 September 12:00-13:00 CEST, join us for the third Battery Startups Lunch. This edition will see presentations from the following startups: Solvionic, GES, Batri, b.again and mea-tec.

Learn about their product(s), their needs, and explore new potential collaborations with key stakeholders evolving in the battery sector.

Whether you are a corporate shark looking for the next innovation to boost your products, an investor hungry for your next big opportunity, or a researcher curious about new developing technologies, join our Battery Startup Lunch to discover, exchange, and build.

Want to be informed of future editions? Send an email to Timothé Perruchoud t.perruchoud@bepassociation.eu to be added on the invitees list.

Register HERE

 

6 June

Starting up

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EU Battery Regulation

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13 June

Insights & studies

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New development

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21 June

Insights & studies

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Media

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28 June

EU Clean Tech Support

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The webinar will see a presentation on European Defence Fund by Marie Latour, European Affairs Director at Euro-Funding, which will be then followed by a Q&A session.

Join us for an informative webinar on the European Defence Fund (EDF) and its 2025 funding opportunities for the battery sector. As the EU strengthens its efforts to build a more autonomous and resilient defence sector, the EDF, with a budget of nearly €7.3 billion for 2021-2027, offers substantial support for collaborative projects on battery R&D including areas related to energy storage, dual-use technologies, and defence-readiness. The fund also supports SMEs and startups through grants and tailored services to help innovative players overcome market barriers.

This is a members only event, non-members will be rejected: REGISTER HERE

The European Commission has launched a strategy to make Europe a place where startups can start and scale.

The strategy identifies two “valleys of death” (a pre-commercialisation valley, and a scaling-up valley) and offers pathways to solving these issues.

At BEPA, we believe 5 key points will be relevant to the battery startup ecosystem :

 

In 2026, the Scaleup Europe Fund will be launched, a significant market-based and privately managed fund integrated within the EIC, aimed at providing substantial late-stage financing to tech startups and develop the European VC and private investment ecosystem. There will also be an expansion of the European Innovation Council (EIC) with more funding, simplified rules, higher success rates, and a more risk and challenge-driven approach

The EU Startup Strategy places strong emphasis on talent by strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems, education, diversity, and upskilling to build a resilient talent pipeline. It highlights the role of universities in fostering innovation, calling for better incentives and recognition for researchers who commercialize research and contribute to spinoffs. Under the Blue Carpet Initiative, the Commission will also address key barriers by exploring harmonized rules for employee stock options and proposing measures to remove tax obstacles for remote, cross-border startup employees

The “Lab to Unicorn” initiative will support startups to scale by providing IP licensing and venture-building support to spin-offs from research institutions. This support is especially important for battery startups moving from lab innovations, like solid-state batteries, to commercial-scale businesses. The strategy also recognises that ecosystems thrive when closely connected to universities. In line with the European Innovation Act, the Commission will aim to make it easier for innovators to become suppliers in infrastructure and energy transition projects by boosting public and private innovation investments across Europe. Reducing barriers such as risk-averse rules or overspecification, it will introduce a fast-track procedure for public procurement of R&D services, and encourage innovation-focused sourcing strategies for private buyers

The Commission will develop a Charter of Access for Industrial Users to Research and Technology Infrastructures, including for startups and scaleups, and, where necessary, simplify and harmonise diverging access and contractual conditions. This helps battery startups secure funding based on patents and gain access to testing facilities essential for prototyping and scaling battery cells or packs

Multiple initiatives will aim to standardize legal and administrative procedures across the EU, reducing the bureaucratic burden of operating in multiple countries—a major benefit for battery scaleups needing pan-European deployment (e.g. gigafactories, supply chain integration). Notably, the 28th Regime will simplify applicable rules and reduce the cost of failure, by addressing specific aspects within relevant areas of law, including insolvency, labour and tax law. It will explore the possibility of enabling companies to establish in Europe more rapidly, ideally within 48 hours. We can also expect some sector specific regulatory sandboxes, one of which is planned to be the New Advanced Materials Act

We also see 3 limits of the strategy, which will need tackling :

 

EU startups, especially those in capital-intensive sectors like batteries, face limited access to late-stage venture capital. The fragmented investment landscape often drives them to seek better funding opportunities in the US or Asia, hampering their ability to scale within Europe

The lack of a common startup definition until 2026 will delay targeted support and hinder consistent implementation of the strategy across the EU. Moreover, it is currently difficult to predict if there will be resistance from certain Member States to establish a common European definition, especially from those who already have such a definition locally.

The pace of regulatory reform (e.g. for environmental approval, transport of lithium-ion materials) is uncertain. Battery tech often faces slow go-to-market due to stringent safety/environmental checks that may still not be harmonized EU-wide.

All in all, we congratulate the EU Commission for an ambitious strategy, and we look forward to supporting the EU Commission in ensuring a strong and swift implementation of this strategy … because battery startups are key and need help!

MEMBERS ONLY WEBINAR

Join this exclusive webinar to get an inside look at the funding and support opportunities that the European Investment Bank (EIB) offers for companies and projects working in the battery and energy storage sectors. EIB Finance Advisor Johannes Lohmann and Venture Debt – Cleantech, Henri-François Boedt will provide you with a description of their different programmes relevant to the battery and storage sector.

The European Investment Bank (EIB), the EU’s lending arm, supports sustainable investments aligned with EU priorities, particularly in innovation, climate action, and infrastructure. It plays a key role in scaling up start-ups and SMEs through diverse financial tools. In December 2024, the EIB and European Commission launched a partnership to strengthen the EU battery value chain by improving access to finance for battery development, manufacturing, and scale-up, building on initiatives like InvestEU and the Innovation Fund.

This is a members-only event, we will reject applications from non members.

Register HERE

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