Policies and regulatory measures aimed at ensuring the economic viability and global competitiveness of industrial sectors, particularly energy-intensive industries, during the transition to net-zero and in response to energy price volatility.
Foresight tracks Industrial Competitiveness developments and surfaces the alerts most likely to matter before they turn into missed deadlines, recalls, or escalation work.
Not ready for a trial? Take the 3-minute readiness assessment
Current activity
20% below the prior 8-week baseline
3-month trend
Latest alerts below
Last updated
15 May 2026, 16:17
Source-backed regulatory and guidance signals tracked by Foresight, with the newest developments first.
EU Council Circulates Draft EU–US Strategic Partnership on Critical Minerals and Supply Chain Action Plan
In March 2026, the EU Council circulated a draft EU–US Memorandum of Understanding and Action Plan establishing a non-binding Strategic Partnership on critical minerals and supply chain resilience. While it creates no immediate legal duties, it signals coordinated EU–US moves toward joint investment, faster permitting, crisis stockpiling and a potential plurilateral trade agreement and standards regime that could materially reshape critical-mineral sourcing and due diligence expectations.
European Union
United StatesEU Council Prepares to Authorise Signature of Non-Binding EU–US Critical Minerals Partnership MoU and Action Plan
In March 2026 the EU Council moved to clear a non-binding EU–US Memorandum of Understanding and Action Plan on critical minerals, preparing to authorise the Commission to sign both instruments. While imposing no direct obligations yet, this partnership signals closer transatlantic coordination on critical mineral supply chains and potential future trade or regulatory measures affecting sourcing, diversification and demand-side policies.
European UnionUnited StatesUK Government Sets Energy and Cyber Security Agenda for Manufacturers in King’s Speech 2026
The 2026 King’s Speech sets out a 35‑Bill programme focused on energy independence, digital resilience and closer EU relations, with a carried‑over Cyber Security and Resilience Bill and new energy measures that matter for manufacturers. For UK manufacturing and critical‑infrastructure suppliers, this signals likely future obligations on cyber‑secure supply chains and a long‑term shift in energy policy, but limited near‑term relief from high energy costs or labour‑market pressures.
United KingdomMissouri Bill SB1553 Moves to House Third-Reading Calendar for Critical Materials and Pharmaceuticals Incentives
Missouri’s SB1553, the Missouri Defense and Energy Independence Act, would create new tax credits and grants for companies investing in facilities that produce federally defined critical materials and critical pharmaceuticals, and has advanced to the House informal third-reading calendar as of 15 May 2026. If enacted, this programme could significantly shape where manufacturers locate new critical materials and pharmaceutical capacity in Missouri from 2027 onwards, offering sizeable incentives alongside new application, qualification, and reporting steps to secure support.
United StatesEU Council Presidency Updates Industrial Accelerator Act Policy Debate Note on European Preference and Low-Carbon Criteria
EU ministers will hold a policy debate on the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act at the 28 May 2026 Competitiveness Council, guided by a revised Presidency note emphasising targeted European preference and low-carbon criteria in public spending. The discussion will shape how the Single Market and public procurement are used to drive industrial decarbonisation and investment conditions across strategic sectors such as steel, cement, aluminium, vehicles and key net-zero technologies.
European UnionEU Council Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth (Industry) To Examine Industrial Accelerator Act Proposal (21 May 2026)
The Council’s Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth (Industry) will meet on 21 May 2026 in Brussels to examine the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act, which would create an EU framework to accelerate industrial capacity and decarbonisation in strategic sectors. This working-level discussion marks continued Council negotiation on a high-impact sustainability and industrial policy file that would also amend the Single Digital Gateway Regulation, the Net-Zero Industry Act and the Construction Products Regulation, signalling forward momentum but no immediate new obligations yet.
European UnionCouncil of the EU Sets Competitiveness Agenda for 28–29 May 2026 on Industrial Accelerator Act, EU Inc and SPC Reforms
The Council of the EU’s Competitiveness ministers will meet on 28–29 May 2026 to debate the Industrial Accelerator Act, EU Inc corporate framework, SPC reforms, Critical Raw Materials amendments and the Horizon Europe 2028–2034 package. These agenda signals show where Council negotiations are heading on industrial and chemical‑relevant files, helping companies anticipate potential shifts in R&D incentives, market access conditions and critical raw material requirements.
European UnionEU Commission Call For Evidence On Biotech Act II Industrial Biotechnology Regulation
The European Commission has launched a Call for Evidence for Biotech Act II, a planned EU regulation to create lead markets and an enabling framework for industrial biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and bio-based materials with an indicative proposal in Q4 2026. If progressed, this initiative could introduce EU-wide market-pull measures such as mandatory minimum bio-based or recycled carbon content in chemicals and related sectors, reshaping feedstock strategies, investment planning, and decarbonisation pathways across key value chains.
European UnionNetherlands Council of State Reviews Bill on Annual Renewable Hydrogen Obligation for Industrial Installations
In May 2026 the Netherlands published the Council of State’s opinion and government response on a bill that would impose an annual obligation on large industrial hydrogen users to switch part of their consumption to renewable fuels of non-biological origin. If adopted, this framework – with relatively low initial percentages and targeted exemptions – will shape how energy-intensive industry plans hydrogen procurement, investment in RFNBO capacity, and compliance strategies to meet both Dutch and EU decarbonisation targets.
NetherlandsEuropean UnionEFTA Surveillance Authority Raises No Objections to Norway's Green Industry Financing Fund (CISAF)
In February 2026 the EFTA Surveillance Authority approved Norway's NOK 4.1 billion Green Industry Financing Fund (CISAF) state aid scheme, allowing Innovation Norway to offer loans covering 15–40% of eligible clean‑technology manufacturing investment costs through to the end of 2030. This creates a significant public financing channel for clean‑tech capacity projects in Norway, potentially improving project economics and accelerating industrial decarbonisation and green technology supply chains without adding new regulatory obligations.
NorwayEU Council Working Party Schedules 18 May 2026 Meeting To Examine Industrial Accelerator Act Proposal
The Council’s Competitiveness Working Party will meet on 18 May 2026 to examine the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act Regulation, a new EU framework to accelerate industrial capacity and decarbonisation in strategic sectors. This early Council discussion signals that negotiations are under way on a cross-cutting industrial decarbonisation regime that will interact with existing EU Single Digital Gateway, Net-Zero Industry Act and Construction Products rules, so affected manufacturers should track the file closely for future obligations.
European UnionMissouri SB 1553 Advances in House; Would Incentivise Critical Materials and Pharmaceuticals Production
Missouri’s SB 1553, the Missouri Defense and Energy Independence Act, has advanced to House Fiscal Review and would from 1 January 2027 offer transferable tax credits, sales and use tax exemptions, and a $10 million grant fund to support in-state production of critical materials and critical pharmaceuticals. If enacted, the programme could significantly shift investment decisions toward Missouri for large defence and pharmaceutical supply-chain projects by covering up to 25 percent of qualifying capital costs, but with stringent eligibility, verification, and sunset provisions that companies must factor into long-term planning.
United StatesNorway Consultation on Amendments to CO2 Compensation Regulation for Industry (2021–2030)
Norway’s Environment Agency has launched a consultation on updating the national CO2 compensation regulation for industry for 2021–2030 to reflect revised EU ETS state aid guidelines, with comments due by 22 June 2026. The changes are expected to have limited economic impact and would take effect immediately after adoption, but affected industrial installations should still review the proposals and consider whether to submit input before the scheme is finalised.
NorwayBavaria Approves Bundesrat Initiative To Amend Federal Immission Control Act On Climate Lawsuits
In May 2026, Bavaria’s state government approved a Bundesrat initiative to amend Germany’s Federal Immission Control Act so that companies compliant with public climate requirements are shielded from civil climate damage claims. If advanced at federal level, this could significantly reduce climate litigation risk for German operators, shifting pressure back toward political climate policy-making and altering ESG risk assessments for high-emitting sectors.
GermanyEU Executive Vice-President Commits to PFAS Restriction Proposal After ECHA Opinion, Outlines Industrial Accelerator and Circular Economy Acts
In a 05 May 2026 hearing with the European Parliament’s ENVI committee, a European Commission Executive Vice-President confirmed plans to propose an EU-wide PFAS restriction under REACH once ECHA’s final opinions are delivered and trailed new Industrial Accelerator and Circular Economy Acts. This signals that PFAS controls and circular-economy obligations will likely tighten over the next few years, so chemicals and manufacturing companies should prepare for stricter PFAS phase-out, more harmonised EPR and digital product passport regimes, and support measures favouring low-carbon EU production.
European UnionNorway Proposes Further Delay Of CO₂ Tax On Natural Gas And LPG For Non‑ETS Chemical And Metallurgical Plants
Norway’s Revised National Budget 2026 proposes to delay CO2 tax on natural gas and LPG used by non-ETS chemical and metallurgical plants until 1 January 2027, while backdating earlier CO2 tax cuts for ETS-covered installations. If approved by the Storting, this extends the tax-free period for energy-intensive process industries and shifts timing and magnitude of carbon cost signals, with implications for fuel contracting, abatement investments, and competitiveness planning.
NorwayEU Parliament ITRE Committee Amendments to CBAM Scope and Anti‑Circumvention Rules
In May 2026, the European Parliament’s ITRE Committee tabled a large package of amendments to the CBAM amendment proposal, tightening anti-circumvention rules, default-value regimes, and delegated-act timelines, with particular emphasis on high-risk iron and steel flows (CN 7205) and downstream goods. If carried through into the final legislation, these changes would harden treatment of suspect imports, expand transparency and monitoring, and materially increase verification and reporting expectations for importers and EU manufacturers relying on carbon-intensive materials, while signalling a firmer political line on CBAM integrity and industrial competitiveness.
European UnionUK Explanatory Memorandum on EU Industrial Accelerator Act Proposal (COM(2026)100)
The UK Government has issued an Explanatory Memorandum on the EU’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act, clarifying how new origin, procurement, investment and future construction-product sustainability labelling rules could affect UK supply chains and apply in Northern Ireland via the Windsor Framework. While the Act remains at proposal stage, companies should treat it as an early signal that EU industrial decarbonisation policy may recalibrate market access and investment conditions for UK manufacturing, particularly in construction materials, automotive, net-zero technologies and sustainable chemicals.
European UnionUnited KingdomMissouri House Rules Committee Advances SB 1553 on Critical Materials and Pharmaceutical Tax Incentives
A Missouri bill (SB 1553) to create tax incentives and grants for companies producing designated critical materials and pharmaceuticals has advanced, with the House Rules Committee reporting it “do pass” in May 2026. If enacted, the Missouri Defense and Energy Independence Act could make the state more attractive for capital investment in critical materials and pharma supply chains, influencing site selection and long-term sourcing strategies rather than imposing immediate compliance obligations.
United StatesEU Commission Consults On Updated EU ETS Benchmarks For 2026–2030
The European Commission has published a draft implementing regulation and Q&A updating the benchmark values that determine free allowance allocation under the EU Emissions Trading System for 2026–2030, with stakeholder feedback open from 11 May to 8 June 2026 and adoption targeted for late June. These changes will reset carbon cost exposure and investment incentives for ETS industrial installations across the EU, making it critical for operators to reassess free allocation assumptions, decarbonisation plans, and liquidity needs ahead of the 2026 compliance cycle.
European UnionThese are just a few of the most recent Industrial Competitiveness alerts. Foresight tracks every jurisdiction, every day — and surfaces only what affects your portfolio, with full citations and evidence.
Start free trialTopic context
Definition
Policies and regulatory measures aimed at ensuring the economic viability and global competitiveness of industrial sectors, particularly energy-intensive industries, during the transition to net-zero and in response to energy price volatility.
Industry relevance
Industrial Competitiveness developments can change product scope, supplier expectations, market access, reporting duties, and risk ownership. Foresight tracks the signals early so teams can respond before obligations become urgent.
Foresight tracking
Foresight monitors official sources, extracts structured regulatory intelligence, and maps alerts to a customer's products, substances, markets, and priorities so teams see the relevant signal with source evidence for review.
Everything you need to know about Foresight's regulatory intelligence platform
Still have questions? Get in touch with our team
Subscribe to Foresight Weekly for expert-picked regulatory developments across chemicals, sustainability, product safety, ESG, and HSE.
Free forever. Unsubscribe anytime.
Read by professionals at
