BRUSSELS, Jan 30 (Reuters) – Producers of clean technologies such as renewable hydrogen and batteries could get faster licenses in the European Union to support industries facing competition from the United States and China, a draft document said on Monday.
The European Commission is set to publish proposals on Wednesday to preserve and grow Europe’s green industry, which some governments fear could lead to the relocation of European industries due to large subsidies from the United States and China.
A draft of the commission’s plan, seen by Reuters, said it would lay out a simplified regulatory framework for technology manufacturers, including faster licensing processes to meet the EU’s climate change targets.
Certain projects deemed essential to developing clean technology supply chains could receive expedited permits, the draft said, which could still change before publication.
Possible options include batteries, carbon capture and storage, renewable energy, renewable hydrogen, energy storage and low carbon building technologies.
The EU sets targets to expand these industries by 2030 to meet growing clean energy and production needs.
Brussels is also looking to create more EU-wide standards for clean technologies – possibly specifying requirements for net zero emission products, which could lead to national governments’ public procurement of such items, he said. (Reporting by Jan Strupzewski; Writing by Kate Abnett; Editing by Philip Fletcher)
