EU unveils battery booster and €1 billion clean‑tech aid for Slovakia

The European Commission has launched a new Battery Booster Facility, allocating up to €1.5 billion from the Innovation Fund to support battery manufacturers in the European Economic Area. The scheme provides interest‑free loans of up to €500 million per project, requires a minimum production capacity of 10 GWh, and targets firms that will produce batteries for electric vehicles and other uses. The measure aims to cut the EU’s reliance on China, which supplied €22 billion of the €28 billion in battery imports in 2024 and holds more than 80 % of global battery capacity.

In a related move, the Commission approved a €1 billion aid package for Slovakia to expand domestic production of clean technologies. The program offers grants and income‑tax relief to small, medium and large companies investing in manufacturing of clean‑tech components and critical raw materials. Applications are open until the end of 2030, and the scheme is designed to reinforce the EU’s Clean Industry Agreement while complying with state‑aid rules.