1 June 2026. EUMEPS welcomes the objectives of the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) to strengthen Europe's industrial resilience, support decarbonisation and enhance the competitiveness of clean technologies and sustainable construction products. As a key contributor to energy-efficient buildings and the implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the European Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) insulation industry supports measures that reinforce European manufacturing capacity while ensuring technological neutrality, regulatory coherence and practical implementation.
In its position paper, EUMEPS highlights the essential contribution of insulation materials to achieving EU climate and energy objectives and calls for their inclusion within Annex II of the IAA. The association emphasises that assessment criteria should focus on the primary raw material used in production, namely expandable polystyrene (PS), rather than additives or secondary product components.
EUMEPS also supports the introduction of “Made in EU” and low-carbon criteria, provided that recognised mass balance methodologies are accepted as a means of accounting for renewable feedstocks within existing industrial value chains. The association considers these methodologies an important tool for accelerating industrial decarbonisation and supporting investments in circular economy solutions.
To ensure consistency across the construction sector, EUMEPS calls for full alignment between the Industrial Accelerator Act, the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The position paper further stresses that sustainability and low-carbon labelling should remain material-neutral, science-based and implemented through existing CPR methodologies, including Global Warming Potential (GWP) calculations.
Key recommendations
EUMEPS recommends that the Industrial Accelerator Act:
- Includes insulation materials within Annex II without imposing unnecessary content thresholds;
- Focuses assessment criteria on the primary raw material, expandable polystyrene (PS);
- Recognises mass balance methodologies as a valid decarbonisation mechanism;
- Defines “Made in EU” strictly within the EU-27;
- Maintains technology-neutral sustainability and low-carbon labelling based on CPR methodologies;
- Reflects ongoing ECHA evaluations regarding flame retardants;
- Ensures coherence between the IAA, EPBD and CPR frameworks;
- Keeps procurement obligations practical, proportionate and administratively manageable.
By adopting a coherent and harmonised approach, the Industrial Accelerator Act can support Europe's transition towards a climate-neutral, resource-efficient economy while preserving industrial competitiveness and innovation across the construction products sector.
Download to read the full position paper.