Sustainability:
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Summary
- In October 2025, the EU Commission released a new Global Climate and Energy Vision(external link) focused on ‘securing Europe’s competitive role in world markets and accelerating the clean transition.’
- Billed as a new ‘external dimension’ to the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal, the Vision is the latest step in a series of EU policies doubling down on investment in the capacity and competitiveness of the EU’s clean technology sector.
- Through a mix of new and existing trade and partnership tools, the Vision seeks to position the EU as an ambitious and reliable partner in clean technology and critical minerals.
- Under the New Zealand-EU FTA and as an Associate Member of Horizon Europe, New Zealand is well placed to collaborate with the EU – particularly through the Vision’s push for mutually beneficial investment in clean energy and critical minerals.
Report
The EU’s clean tech leadership ambitions
In 2024, the EU’s Net-Zero Industry Act(external link) laid the foundation for an EU-wide objective to reach 15% of the global production of clean technology by 2040. It was followed in February 2025 by the Clean Industrial Deal which focused on boosting the EU’s domestic clean tech, clean energy, and industrial decarbonisation sectors. With these building blocks in place, the Vision sets out the EU’s approach to “decarbonising its economy and industry in order to capture a fair share of global clean technology markets and ensure EU clean tech businesses are competitive at a global level.”
The Vision articulates an ambitious set of objectives and actions including:
- Keeping up global momentum
- The EU intends to drive implementation of the Paris Agreement through including a push for tripling renewables, doubling energy efficiency by 2030, and phasing out fossil fuels;
- Boosting demand for EU clean tech abroad
- The EU will support clean tech businesses through dedicated trade missions, the creation of a Clean Transition Business Council, and stronger trade promotion expertise around the world;
- Building clean value chains
- The EU will expand partnerships through new and existing trade agreements, clean trade deals, and globally recognised low-carbon standards and labels;
- Piloting triangular cooperation
- Joint clean transition projects will involve EU firms and advanced non-EU partners in emerging and developing countries;
- Enhancing policy & regulatory cooperation
- The EU will partner with regulators, civil society, and academia, mobilising EU Member States’ expertise, and providing technical assistance for clean transition reforms;
- Reforming Climate Finance
- The EU intends to reform global financial institutions toward clean transition and create innovative climate finance sources (including fossil fuel revenues), linking these with EU sustainable finance frameworks;
- Scaling Adaptation & Resilience
- The EU plans to introduce large-scale investment in adaptation projects and develop viable business models, especially for least developed countries and small island developing states.
Securing critical minerals supply chains
The EU’s push to expand its share of global clean-tech trade builds on ongoing efforts to strengthen economic resilience, diversify critical supply chains, and reduce energy dependencies.
To secure the inputs needed for its clean industrial transition, the EU launched 60 Strategic Projects under its 2024 Critical Raw Materials Act, with 13 based outside the EU. In December 2025, it launched the RESourceEU Action Plan(external link) to accelerate its critical minerals efforts. RESourceEU will:
- Mobilise an additional €3 billion in funding for strategic raw materials projects, including defence and battery value chains;
- Launch joint procurement and strategic stockpiling of critical raw materials through a centralised European Centre for Critical Raw Materials;
- Establish a Raw Materials Mechanism(external link) to connect buyers and suppliers of strategic raw materials, financial institutions, and stockpiling service providers.
The role of international trade
The Vision highlights the role of the EU’s network of current and future free trade agreements as vehicles for unlocking sustainable trade and investment flows. Over the last four years alone, the EU has signed over 40 bilateral clean transition partnerships which complement similar agreements negotiated independently by Member States.
The Vision notes that digitalisation will be a key enabler of clean trade by supporting cross-border interoperability. In this context, the incoming digital product passports will serve as a tool for monitoring resource and emissions performance.
Opportunities for New Zealand
The fact that the EU is looking to play a more active role in global clean trade presents opportunities for New Zealand, including supporting the delivery of new renewable energy projects. European clean technology companies continue to explore opportunities for investment in renewable energy including offshore wind projects.
The new EU Bioeconomy Strategy(external link), mentioned in the Vision, is an area where the EU intends to scale up international trade in bio-based technologies, materials, products, applications, and circular innovations. This offers potential export and investment opportunities for Kiwi businesses given New Zealand’s strength as a world-leading producer of sustainable agri-food and fibre products.
In their meeting in June 2025(external link), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon acknowledged the opportunity for closer collaboration on critical raw materials supply chains and innovative technologies.
Conclusion
The EU’s Global Climate and Energy Vision offers opportunities for New Zealand businesses in clean technology, renewable energy, and bioeconomy sectors. With a dedicated Energy and Raw Materials Chapter the New Zealand – EU Free Trade Agreement positions critical minerals technology and services suppliers well to enter into competitive procurement processes and discussions with promoters of EU critical minerals projects. Aligning products and services with EU sustainability standards, exploring partnerships under Horizon Europe(external link), and monitoring developments in bio-based technologies will help position New Zealand firms to tap into growing demand for clean tech, and integrate into emerging global clean value chains.
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