Industry Accelerator Act & the Cycling Industry – WEBINAR

The European Commission’s Industry Accelerator Act (IAA), unveiled in March 2026, aims to secure Europe’s strategic autonomy by strengthening its industrial capabilities, and enhancing economic security in strategic sectors. In essence, its overarching ambition is to increase manufacturing to 20% of EU GDP by 2035 through:

• Permitting acceleration via streamlined, digitalised procedures and (national) single entry points for industrial projects.
• Lead market creation through public procurement and support schemes favouring low‑carbon and “Made in EU” products.
• Foreign investment conditions to ensure that investments generate EU jobs, that they strengthen the value chain of individual products, and that they are accompanied by the transfer of technologies employed in manufacturing.

The proposal’s scope is limited (based on its wording and the definitions in Annexes) to energy‑intensive industries (EIIs), net‑zero technologies, and the automotive sector – with the cycling industry not directly covered by the IAA. Further clarification is necessary, from both within and outside of the cycling industry, to understand the potential desirability of extending IAA’s applicability to our sector. Most demand-side measures (procurement and support schemes) are expected to apply from 1 January 2029, offering a timeline for industry adjustment.

ECI is organising a webinar to help shape the industry’s collective position before major shifts kick in. To bring diverse perspectives to the table, we will be joined by experts in competition law, leading clean transport advocates, and representatives from the primary metals sector. The webinar will offer participants the possibility to:

(1) better understand the potential impact of low-carbon and local content requirements, of foreign investment rules, and of the ways in which the industry could be affected by IAA’s battery-related provisions.
(2) actively shape the industry’s strategic steps – whether that means lobbying for exemptions, pushing for lower thresholds, advocating for a gradual phase-in, or deciding to exclude the sector entirely.

Don’t miss your chance to learn more about IAA and to voice your perspective! REGISTER NOW to secure your spot and help drive our sector’s collective response.