Stéphane Séjourné

Rule Changes

Driving EU strategy to cut raw material dependence on China

In October 2026, the EU and China defused the trade war that Emmanuel Macron threatened in December 2025. The interim deal caps Chinese hybrid and plug-in hybrid car exports to Europe at 350,000 a year for four years. China, in turn, will cut tariffs on €4 billion of European goods from January 2027 and fast-track rare-earth export licences for EU buyers.

Updated Nov 2

Rule Changes

Leading the EU's critical minerals push

The European Commission approved 46 projects on October 9 to mine, process, and recycle critical minerals inside the EU. They need about €21.1 billion ($23.5 billion) in investment and span 16 member states, from a battery recycling plant in Romania to a rare earths facility in southwestern France.

Updated Oct 19

Rule Changes

As of June 2026: Co-leading the Chips Act 2.0 file with Virkkunen

The European Union depends on non-EU suppliers for more than 80% of its core digital products. On 3 June 2026, the European Commission proposed two laws to change that: a Chips Act 2.0 to boost semiconductor production, and a Cloud and AI Development Act to triple the bloc's data-centre capacity within five to seven years.

Updated Jun 3

Built World

As of May 2026: Leading EU industrial competitiveness agenda, including the Industrial Accelerator Act

The European Commission signed grant agreements worth €2.7 billion with 54 clean industry projects on March 24, 2026 — the largest single disbursement in the Innovation Fund's six-year history. The projects span 17 countries and 17 industrial sectors, from electrolyzer manufacturing to lithium refining for electric vehicle batteries, with individual grants ranging from €1.8 million to €216 million. Four days earlier, the Commission revealed that its 2025 competitive auctions attracted nearly €10 billion in bids from European companies racing to decarbonize, more than double the €4.1 billion available.

Updated May 30