Recommendations for Action on the Advanced Materials Act

On 9^th of June 2026, leading German industry and research associations submitted their joint recommendations for action directly to the European Commission as a consultation paper on the planned Advanced Materials Act (AMA). The paper was drafted at an event of the Hightech Agenda Germany (HTAD) and implements Lever 7, ‘Ensuring the supply of critical raw materials’, of the HTAD.

High-performance alloys in wind turbines, electrode materials in batteries, biocompatible implants, semiconductor substrates for AI – advanced materials are the invisible foundation of almost every industrial transformation. Without advanced materials, there can be no energy transition, no digitalisation, and no strategic sovereignty for Europe. To this end, the European Commission is planning an Advanced Materials Act (AMA).

As part of a national industry dialogue initiated by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) – in collaboration with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) – leading German associations have developed a position paper. This was handed over to the European Commission during the industry dialogue on 9^th of June 2026. The key messages to the EU are:

• Seamless support for the innovation chain from TRL 5–9
• Establishment of a European materials data infrastructure
• Introduction of ‘regulatory sandboxes’ to enable risk-based regulation
• Use of Green Public Procurement as a demand lever
• Reduction of bureaucracy – implementation of the ‘once-only’ principle

The AMA should be an acceleration initiative, not a new layer of regulation.

© VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH

The paper is backed by a broad alliance of various associations. Co-sponsors include the Verband der Chemischen Industrie VCI (German Chemical Industry Association), DECHEMA Gesellschaft für Chemische Technik und Biotechnologie (Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology), the Association of German Engineers (VDI), the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau e.V. VDMA (the German Engineering Federation), the German Rubber Industry Association (WDK), the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung  BAM (Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing) and the German Society for Materials Science (DGM). Industry, research and associations are speaking with one voice here.

The input paper is an important step in implementing Lever 7 of the HTAD – ensuring the supply of critical raw materials. It is a stated objective of the High-Tech Agenda that Germany should be a strong partner in the EU initiative “Advanced Materials for Industrial Leadership”, which is directly linked to the AMA. As a strong partner, Germany is actively driving forward the development of an ecosystem for advanced materials in Europe. This simultaneously strengthens Lever 6: “Building European and international cooperation”.

Further information:

• Input paper “Recommendations for action from the National Industry Dialogue in the run-up to the European Commission’s planned ‘Advanced Materials Act’” (German only)
• Information on the Advanced Materials Act
• Information on the EU initiative Advanced Materials for Industrial Leadership
• More on the levers of the HTAD