Net Zero Industry Act
Further NZIA Benefits
The Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) facilitates market access for net-zero technologies (NZT), enhances skills within the industry, and encourages innovation.
Feb 24, 2025
Facilitated Market Access
For public procurement procedures within the EU public procurement framework involving certain net-zero technologies (NZT), contracting bodies have to apply minimum environmental sustainability requirements. The EU Commission will specify these requirements in an implementing act to be issued in 2025.
Authorities must also consider at least one criterion among social sustainability, cybersecurity and timely delivery obligations. In cases of high dependency (for instance more than 50 percent) on a third country, the resilience criterion requires public buyers to diversify supply sources for the specific NZT.
Similar conditions are stipulated for renewable energy auctions.
Skills and Innovation
Strengthening the manufacturing capacity of key NZT requires a skilled workforce. European net-zero Industry Academies aim to develop learning content and programs together with the industry.
In June 2024, the EU established a European Solar Academy that will develop tailored training services to reskill and upskill 65,000 workers across the photovoltaic value chain. This EU Academy will be followed by further academies in different industrial key areas.
The creation of net-zero regulatory sandboxes will be a major driver of innovation. These allow for the testing of innovative NZT and other innovative technologies in a controlled real-world environment. Sandboxes may be initiated by EU member states or requested by a company developing innovative NZT.
