“We welcome the EU's decision to finally agree on our proposal for a European preference in public procurement, as presented by Stéphane Séjourné today. This should lead to a “Buy European” clause for solar PV and other clean tech products,” says Christoph Podewils, Secretary General of the European Solar Manufacturing Council.
Today, the European Commission presented the Clean Industrial Deal, a long-awaited initiative aimed at boosting European industry and accelerating decarbonization. The launch was led by Commissioners Teresa Ribera, Stéphane Séjourné, and Wopke Hoekstra. The commissioners promised new public procurement rules by 2026, incorporating non-price criteria for resilience and sustainability, as well as a preference for European manufacturing for public procurement. While ESMC strongly supports this, questions remain about how it will align with the Net-Zero Industry Act and provisions for public auctions.
“Now, the NZIA requirements for public auctions must be aligned with the Clean Industrial Deal, with a clear ‘Made in Europe' clause in all public tenders across Europe. Our taxpayers' money should support sustainable, European-made net-zero products, such as solar, rather than further subsidizing China,” says Podewils. “And this must happen soon. We are losing to China every day. Waiting another year or two is not an option,” Podewils adds.
Additionally, the EU announced the creation of an Industrial Decarbonization Bank, funded with €100 billion. This is a very welcome initiative, but questions remain regarding implementation and timing. “The bank must be set up quickly, and capital must also be directed toward companies' operational costs. Solar PV companies are struggling against Chinese state-subsidized giga-companies. The playing field must be leveled urgently in favor of European manufacturers,” says Podewils. “We propose that the Decarbonization Bank includes a dedicated solar-specific segment to guarantee support for European solar investments across the entire value chain. We recommend allocating €10 billion for this purpose, which could be further accelerated with additional private investments,” Podewils adds.
