11 February 2026- EXCA calls for urgent action on energy and carbon costs to secure Europe’s industrial future

Brussels, Belgium – On 11 February 2026, the European Expanded Clay Association (EXCA) participated in the Antwerp European Industry Summit, joining leaders from across Europe’s industries to underline a shared and pressing concern: without immediate action on energy and carbon costs, Europe risks irreversible industrial decline.

Ahead of the informal European Council meeting on competitiveness on 12 February, EXCA stresses that the current policy trajectory is placing disproportionate pressure on industrial producers at a time when key enabling conditions for decarbonisation are still missing. Additional carbon cost increases foreseen for 2026 risk undermining both competitiveness and the capacity of companies to invest in the transition.

The expanded clay sector is fully committed to climate neutrality and already delivers essential solutions for energy-efficient buildings, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable construction. However, achieving further emissions reductions requires access to affordable low-carbon energy and sufficient investment security. These conditions are not yet in place across Europe.

In this context, EXCA supports the call from Cerame Unie for ETS emergency measures, including a temporary pause in ETS benchmark tightening, a freeze in the reduction of free allocations, and measures to stabilise carbon price expectations. Such steps are necessary to prevent carbon leakage, safeguard industrial capacity in Europe, and preserve the economic base required to finance decarbonisation.

European manufacturers are already facing unprecedented challenges from high energy prices and competition from regions with significantly lower environmental and carbon constraints. Without timely corrective action, rising production costs risk accelerating plant closures and investment diversion outside the EU, weakening Europe’s strategic autonomy and industrial resilience.

EXCA emphasises that competitiveness and decarbonisation must advance together. Emergency measures under the ETS are not a retreat from climate ambition, but a prerequisite to ensure that Europe’s industrial sectors remain capable of delivering it.