Driver of European competitiveness or missed opportunity? Orgalim debates IAA in Strasbourg
Strasbourg, 7 October 2026 - Amid a political fallout over the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) today, with members of the European People's Party (EPP) proposing to reject the entire bill, Orgalim hosted a debate on the topic at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
At our event 'The Industrial Accelerator Act: Driver of European competitiveness or missed opportunity?', we covered whether the IAA can tackle the unfair competition from a small number of third countries, without pushing us into trade disputes with trusted partners, and how to implement 'Made in Europe' incentives effectively.
Addressing the urgency, Member of the European Parliament Kathleen van Brempt (BE, S&D) said:
We know we need firm measures. The IAA is a small piece of that industrial reinvention, and an important piece of the new way we look at trade.
Orgalim President and CEO of Velatia, Javier Ormazabal, pushed four clear asks in his opening speech.
- Openness based on reciprocity. 'Made in Europe' must not mean EU27 only;
- Clear and simple rules. Companies must know well in advance which products are covered by the IAA;
- More ambition on permitting and the creation of a simpler framework for Foreign Direct Investment; and
- Feasible low-carbon criteria that work in the real economy.
The IAA comes at a very critical moment for Europe's technology industries. Our industrial competitiveness is deteriorating while manufacturing costs are rising, driven by a growing European regulatory burden.
Acknowledging industry concerns, Tomoslav Sokol (HR, EPP) said:
Of course we want to include countries that are trusted partners - and our industries need that.
At the same time, we face increasing pressure from unfairly subsidised Chinese imports that undermine the level playing field in Europe.
In such a challenging situation, we need policies that help restore Europe’s industrial competitiveness and make sure we can maintain Europe's leadership in key technologies such as advanced manufacturing.