On Friday, 15 December, the European Commission announced that it had approved a Belgian aid scheme worth a total of €50 million to support battery and electrolyser production in Wallonia. Notification of the scheme was given in accordance with the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework for State aid, which was adopted by the European Commission on 9 March 2023 and amended on 20 November 2023 (see EUROPE 13296/18).
The scheme will be open to companies that produce the equipment needed to further the transition to a net-zero emissions economy and, in particular, implement the European Green Deal Industrial Plan.
Eligible beneficiaries may include companies that produce batteries, electrolysers, or even essential components that are designed and used as the direct inputs needed for battery or electrolyser production. The scheme will also be open to companies that produce the critical raw materials needed to manufacture batteries or electrolysers.
These companies will receive aid in the form of direct subsidies, and this aid will be granted until 31 December 2025 at the latest. (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)