European Economic
and Social Committee
EESC PLENARY: Interview with CCMI President Alain Coheur on the potential of the sodium battery manufacturing sector
We spoke with the CCMI President about the EESC opinion CCMI/250 'Enhancing EU strategic autonomy and developing a greener and bluer economy: the potential of the sodium battery manufacturing sector'
What are the three main findings of this opinion?
With this opinion, the EESC's Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) drew attention to a new topic that is highly relevant for the future of European industry and in the framework of the Preparedness Union. The rapporteurs highlighted advantages of this new technology over other existing solutions and its potential for the EU.
Sodium batteries rely on a widely available raw material in Europe, unlike alternatives such as lithium batteries. Sodium is abundant, inexpensive and available throughout Europe. These batteries can help the EU reduce its external dependencies and foster its strategic autonomy. For the environment sodium batteries are also much more advantageous, and their production would not pose the same problems as the mining and extraction of lithium.
I would also highlight that developing a European industry of such batteries is a goal which is perfectly aligned with some of the priorities of our Committee. Being a more environmentally-friendly technology, a circular sodium battery ecosystem can assist decarbonisation efforts and support the objectives of the EU Green Deal. At the same time, this technology can provide sustainable use of the sodium resulting from desalination efforts linked to the EU Blue Deal, preventing this surplus from threatening biodiversity.
Lastly, I would stress the urgency of the EU developing a proper strategy and investing in a sodium battery industry, to make the sector competitive and a strategic asset. We are already losing the lithium battery production race to other players (such as China and South Korea), and if we do not take action the same will happen when it comes to sodium batteries.
What are the main recommendations or proposals of the opinion?
To establish a competitive and sovereign sodium manufacturing industry, it is imperative that the European Commission updates its industrial pathway for batteries, in cooperation with other stakeholders and the EESC. Sodium batteries must be included, but there is also a need to address workforce and skills requirements and to look at the battery ecosystem on its own rather than just as part of the components of the automotive sector.
In addition, we call for a stronger partnership between governments, industry and academia to strengthen research and development (R&D) efforts, but also for public incentives and policies to support the investment needed. It is equally important to leverage existing knowledge by keeping the current lithium factories running and investing in both technologies in order to make the EU a global leader in the field of batteries.
After the adoption of this opinion, what will you do to promote it?
We have worked closely with the European Commission and sodium batteries stakeholders on this opinion, and we have also developed our contacts with the Batteries European Partnership Association (BEPA) on this topic and more broadly on the battery industry.
We have also commissioned a study on the potential of sodium batteries for the energy efficiency of households and businesses. For example, in the case of the energy shutdown in Portugal and Spain (April 2025), we want to explore how this new technology can become an asset in making communities and businesses better prepared and more resilient to such events.
In view of all this, at the CCMI we are convinced that the sector has key potential for the coming years. We will make work on sodium batteries one of our flagship initiatives, exploring their different applications and conducting substantial follow-up with other EU institutions and stakeholders.
The EESC opinion on 'Enhancing EU strategic autonomy and developing a greener and bluer economy: the potential of the sodium battery manufacturing sector' was presented and adopted at the EESC plenary session in February 2026. Read it at: https://link.europa.eu/FgChXG
Alain COHEUR (Belgium)
EESC CCMI President
Member, EESC Civil Society Organisations' Group
Director of European and International Affairs, National Union of Socialist Mutuality Societies (Solidaris).