Discover the IPCEIs already approved and those still to come

In recent years, the European Union has made Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs), a State aid instrument for supporting major industrial and innovation projects, one of its main tools for strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy. Through this mechanism, Member States can support initiatives that would struggle to get off the ground through private investment alone because of their scale, complexity and risk. This article reviews the 11 IPCEIs approved to date, as well as the new projects currently at the design stage.

Approved IPCEIs

Batteries

First battery IPCEI

Our overview begins with the first IPCEI dedicated to batteries. The seven participating countries – Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden – authorised up to €3.2 billion in public funding, which was expected to unlock a further €5 billion in private investment. The initiative brings together 17 companies, which collaborate with one another and with more than 70 external partners, including SMEs and research organisations from across Europe.

The project covers every segment of the battery value chain, from the extraction and processing of raw materials to cell design, battery systems, recycling and reuse. Its activities aim to develop lithium-ion batteries that last longer, are safer and charge more quickly, while also reducing emissions, resource consumption and waste generated during manufacturing.

IPCEI European Battery Innovation

The second battery IPCEI, known as European Battery Innovation, was prepared by Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. The 12 Member States may provide up to €2.9 billion in public funding, which is expected to unlock a further €9 billion in private investment. A total of 42 companies are participating, developing projects across different parts of the value chain.

The initiative complements the first IPCEI by developing new cell chemistries, advanced materials, innovative production processes, battery management systems and recycling solutions. It places particular emphasis on sustainability, energy efficiency, the digitalisation of manufacturing and the recovery of strategic raw materials.

Hydrogen

IPCEI Hy2Tech

Hy2Tech is the first IPCEI covering the hydrogen value chain. Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain may provide up to €5.4 billion in public funding, which is expected to unlock a further €8.8 billion in private investment. The project brings together 35 companies, which are developing 41 research, innovation and first industrial deployment initiatives.

The initiative covers technologies related to hydrogen generation, fuel cells, storage, transport, distribution and end-use applications. Its objectives include improving electrolyser efficiency, developing new materials and fuel-cell systems, and introducing solutions that make it possible to use hydrogen to decarbonise industrial processes and certain forms of transport.

IPCEI Hy2Infra

Hy2Infra focuses on the infrastructure required to produce, transport, store and import renewable hydrogen. France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia may grant up to €6.9 billion in public support, which is expected to unlock a further €5.4 billion in private investment. The IPCEI comprises 33 projects developed by 32 companies, including several SMEs.

The projects plan to deploy 3.2 gigawatts of large-scale electrolysers, build or repurpose approximately 2,700 kilometres of transmission and distribution networks, and develop storage facilities with a minimum capacity of 370 gigawatt-hours. They also include terminals and port infrastructure capable of handling up to 6,000 tonnes of hydrogen a year transported using liquid organic hydrogen carriers.

IPCEI Hy2Use

Hy2Use focuses on integrating hydrogen into industrial processes and developing the infrastructure associated with these applications. It was notified by Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. The 13 countries may provide up to €5.2 billion in public funding, which is expected to unlock a further €7 billion in private investment. The initiative comprises 35 projects involving 29 companies.

The IPCEI supports innovative technologies that make it possible to replace natural gas and other fossil fuels with renewable or low-carbon hydrogen in hard-to-decarbonise industrial sectors. Hy2Use complements Hy2Tech by applying technological advances to specific production processes and promoting the construction of hydrogen production, transport and industrial-use facilities.

IPCEI Hy2Move

Hy2Move addresses the main challenges involved in using hydrogen for mobility and transport. Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Spain may grant up to €1.4 billion in public aid, which is expected to unlock a further €3.3 billion in private investment. The project brings together 11 companies, including SMEs and start-ups, which will develop 13 innovative initiatives.

The activities include fuel-cell vehicle platforms for buses and lorries, systems capable of supplying power to ships and locomotives, and onboard hydrogen storage solutions, including lightweight and durable tanks for aircraft. Technologies will also be developed to produce high-purity hydrogen directly at refuelling stations.

Digital infrastructure and services

IPCEI CIS

The IPCEI on Next Generation Cloud Infrastructure and Services, known as IPCEI CIS, was notified by France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. These seven Member States may provide up to €1.2 billion in public funding, which is expected to unlock a further €1.4 billion in private investment. Nineteen companies, including several SMEs, will develop the same number of innovative projects.

Its aim is to create the first open and interoperable European ecosystem for data processing across the entire cloud-to-edge continuum. Participants will develop open-source tools, low-latency services, and federated and energy-efficient technologies that can be used in areas such as energy, health, industry and maritime transport.

Microelectronics and communication technologies

First microelectronics IPCEI

The first microelectronics IPCEI was initially notified by France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, while the latter was still a member of the European Union. Austria subsequently joined in 2021 through three additional company-led projects. The original programme provided for up to €1.75 billion in public support and approximately €6 billion in private investment, while Austria’s participation added up to €146.5 million in State funding.

The initiative has supported projects involving chips, integrated circuits, sensors, power semiconductors, energy-efficient components and advanced packaging technologies. These developments are applied in fields such as connected and automated vehicles, the Internet of Things, household appliances, industrial systems, and battery management for electric mobility and energy storage.

IPCEI ME/CT

The IPCEI on Microelectronics and Communication Technologies (ME/CT) was prepared by Austria, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. The 14 Member States may provide up to €8.1 billion in public funding, which is expected to unlock a further €13.7 billion in private investment. In total, 56 companies will develop 68 projects, supported by associated participants and indirect partners from across Europe.

The projects cover the entire value chain, from materials and tools to microprocessor design and manufacturing processes. Their results will contribute to the development of 5G and 6G communications, artificial intelligence, autonomous driving and quantum computing, while also advancing electronic systems and production methods that consume less energy and fewer resources.

Health

IPCEI Tech4Cure

Tech4Cure is the most recently approved IPCEI and the second dedicated to health. Authorised by the European Commission on 22 July 2025, the project aims to drive innovation in medical devices and was jointly notified by France, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia. These five Member States will provide up to €403 million in public funding, which is expected to unlock a further €826 million in private investment.

Tech4Cure brings together ten companies – six of them SMEs – which will develop ten innovative projects with the additional involvement of 18 associated participants. The initiative focuses on medical devices incorporating digital and artificial-intelligence solutions, with the aim of advancing predictive, preventive and personalised medicine, known as 3P medicine. The IPCEI will support both collaborative research and innovation and the first industrial deployment of these technologies.

IPCEI Med4Cure

Med4Cure is the first IPCEI dedicated to health. It was jointly notified by Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Spain, which may provide up to €1 billion in public funding to unlock approximately €5.9 billion in additional private investment. The initiative brings together 13 companies – nine of them SMEs – responsible for 14 research, innovation and first industrial deployment projects.

The project covers the main stages of the pharmaceutical value chain, from the collection and analysis of cells, tissues and other samples to the development of personalised therapies, advanced digital technologies and more sustainable production processes. Its aim is to accelerate drug discovery, address unmet medical needs such as certain rare diseases, and strengthen the EU’s preparedness for emerging health threats.

Upcoming IPCEIs

The next generation of IPCEIs is currently at the design stage. Several candidate IPCEIs have already been formally included in the Design Support Hub, the mechanism launched by the European Commission to prepare future initiatives. These include projects dedicated to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Compute Infrastructure Continuum (CIC), Advanced Semiconductor Technologies, Circular Advanced Materials for Clean Technologies (CAM) and Innovative Nuclear Technologies, with Biotechnologies recently added as a further area.

Unlike the IPCEIs already approved, these new initiatives do not yet have a definitive configuration in terms of either projects or participating companies. Their scope is still being jointly defined by the European Commission and the interested Member States before national calls for expressions of interest and project-selection procedures begin.