Core Points - The EU is planning an ambitious industrial policy that sets a local content standard of up to 70% for key products like automobiles, aiming to prioritize domestic goods and reduce external dependencies [1][2] - The proposal, known as the "Industrial Acceleration Law," is expected to be announced on December 10 and will be led by EU Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné, reflecting France's long-standing push for domestic production [1][2] - The policy is designed to provide government subsidies and public procurement incentives, with only vehicles meeting the local content benchmark eligible for government support [1][2] Group 1 - The local content threshold may reach 70%, but specific targets will vary based on the industry's criticality and dependency [2] - The automotive sector will be a primary focus, with incentives only for vehicles that meet the local content standards [2] - The policy will also analyze the EU's production capacity for each component, with potential requirements for solar panel inverters to achieve basic European manufacturing [2] Group 2 - There are concerns that the policy could impose significant financial burdens on companies, potentially increasing costs by over €10 billion annually for EU firms [4] - Officials worry that European-made products may be significantly more expensive than Asian imports, which could lead to higher costs for businesses and loss of market competitiveness for certain products [4][5] - The EU's heavy industries, including steel, are struggling to maintain profit margins against cheap Asian imports, exacerbated by high energy prices and tariffs [5]