PERTE funding: EU gives green light for industry aid in Spain
The European Commission has given the green light for a Spanish subsidy programme intended to incentivise the manufacturing of batteries and other e-mobility technologies in the country. The budget amounts to €200 million. Spain required EU state aid approval before it could proceed. That approval has now been granted. The Commission considers the Spanish programme to be’ necessary, appropriate and proportionate.’Specifically, the funding is intended to expand production capacities for the manufacturing of electric vehicle battery and hydrogen components in the country. The programme will also support the production and recovery of critical raw materials and is open to companies across Spain until 30 June 2026. The Commission does not provide further details about the programme. However, in response to an enquiry from electrive, a Commission spokesperson confirmed that it forms part of the PERTE funding scheme.“At a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, Europe’s energy autonomy, reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels, is more important than ever,” said Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Competition. “nvesting in batteries, storage and hydrogen is not only about competitiveness; it is about resilience and sovereignty. The funds will be deployed quickly so the battery industry can move ahead with this transition.”What is clear is that the approval by the European Commission is based on the Union’s Clean Industrial Deal (CISAF) adopted in mid-2025. This is a new state aid framework designed to simplify the granting of subsidies in key sectors for the transition to a carbon-neutral economy and, for example, to accelerate tender procedures. It will remain in force until the turn of 2030/31.As for national subsidies, developments are currently underway in Spain: the government is reorganising e-mobility funding in the country. However, the publication of the funding criteria is still pending – apparently because the Ministry of Economy intends to integrate a system for calculating the CO₂ footprint at short notice, modelled on the French approach.In principle, Spain will structure its e-mobility funding in the future according to the national plan ‘España Auto 2030,’ based on three pillars, while also reorganising responsibilities. Central to this is the programme ‘Plan Auto+,’ which is set to channel a total of €400 million in subsidies directly to consumers in 2026 – and reduce car prices. In addition, there is a new programme called ‘Moves Corredores’ with a budget of €300 million for the installation of charging stations.And: a further €580 million is to flow into the aforementioned e-mobility funding programme PERTE in 2026. The €200 million approved by the EU therefore represents only one part of the overall programme. Unlike the other two funding schemes, PERTE is an industry subsidy.ec.europa.eu
