On March 4, 2026, the European Commission presented the Industrial Accelerator Act. With this plan, Brussels aims to grow the manufacturing industry to 20 percent of European GDP within ten years. For the bioeconomy and chemical sectors, the proposal includes concrete instruments to facilitate the transition to sustainable raw materials.
Faster construction through new zones
A key component of the plan is the introduction of industrial acceleration zones. In these special zones, permitting procedures for new factories will be significantly shortened. Because environmental assessments are largely pre-arranged at the area level, businesses will no longer need to visit each individual office. This should significantly accelerate the construction of facilities for processing bio-based raw materials and circular chemistry.
Formal status for sustainable carbon
For the sector, the new definition of "sustainable carbon sources" is the most significant achievement. The regulation establishes that biomass meeting the RED sustainability requirements, along with waste streams and captured CO2 (CCU), forms the official basis for European industry.
This gives the Commission the power to enforce demand for these materials later through additional regulations. Think of blending requirements or specific requirements for public procurement, which would immediately boost the market for bio-based products.
Priority for European production
The EU wants public procurement and subsidies to be allocated more often to domestically produced products. In strategic sectors, such as automotive components, the target is a 70 percent European share. This offers opportunities for local value chains where European biomass forms the basis for materials and chemicals.
To keep costs under control, limits have been set: if the price difference with imported products exceeds 25 percent, governments are still allowed to choose the cheaper foreign option. This ensures a realistic balance between supporting domestic industry and project affordability.
Final Thoughts: Take the Next Step
This proposal shifts the focus: not only a factory's emissions count, but also the origin of the carbon in the materials themselves. For the bio-based sector, this is a clear signal that the path to a fossil-free industry lies through local, renewable raw materials. The text will now be submitted to the European Parliament and the Member States for final approval.
Source: European Commission
Photo by ALEXANDRE LALLEMAND on Unsplash
