Brussels, 08 May 2026 – The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) shares its initial views and broad assessment on the IAA as a whole. This text does not include all detailed industry positions or proposals on each relevant IAA provision. Further details will be shared in an ACEA position paper at a later stage.
ACEA shares the goal of strengthening the EU industrial base and reducing dependencies on third countries for strategic technologies. We also recognise the urgent need to build an integrated European battery value-chain as a foundation for technological sovereignty, and manufacturers are already making significant investments in battery production in Europe.
The IAA can only achieve its objectives if paired with a strong industrial strategy that boosts Europe’s competitiveness. This is particularly important for batteries, as the proposal relies on optimistic assumptions about the future domestic supply of battery components. Without cheaper energy, faster permitting, and investment support, EU-based battery production will not scale quickly enough to meet the ambitious local content assumptions embedded in the proposal.
The IAA can become a powerful competitiveness tool. However, to succeed, it must be rooted in the value-chain realities and offer a more practical and flexible approach to calculate European content. We call on the co-legislators to rework the current proposal, taking into account the following considerations: (....)