Important projects of common European interest: State of play

The concept of important projects of common European interest (IPCEIs) is enshrined in Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It enables the Commission to allow Member States to design and implement national investments targeting important market failures or societal challenges that could not otherwise be addressed. In November 2021, the Commission adopted a communication updating a 2014 communication that established the first set of guidance to be used for the assessment of IPCEIs. The revision is designed to align the criteria more closely with EU political priorities, in particular the European Green Deal and the digital strategy, while also making the setting up of IPCEIs more transparent and open to new participating Member States and economic players. In the context of the twin digital and ecological transition, IPCEIs are expected to boost the EU's strategic autonomy by ensuring Member States' capacity to invest together in technological development, and by encouraging the dissemination of solutions and promoting cooperation across the EU and the economy. As of February 2022, three IPCEIs have been approved by the Commission: one on microelectronics and two on batteries (with up to 12 participating Member States). A further initiative on microelectronics, with 20 participating Member States, was notified to the Commission in December 2021 and is awaiting approval. Other initiatives, on clean hydrogen, next generation cloud and health, are being explored.