Made in EU rules cover concrete and cars, not software

This article was published on August 14, 2026 Europe's Made in EU rules are real, and they cover concrete, aluminium, cars, batteries and solar panels. They do not cover software. European hardware founders are arguing about a version of the Act that has not been proposed. Windows of the EU Parliament building in Brussels The Industrial Accelerator Act arrived on 4 March 2026 as COM(2026)100, alongside an impact assessment and three staff working documents, per the European Commission. Its formal title says what it is for. It establishes a framework for accelerating industrial capacity and decarbonisation in strategic sectors. It is a proposal, not a law. It is now in the ordinary legislative procedure, with Parliament and Council still to take positions. The origin rules are specific and sectoral rather than general. From 1 January 2029, concrete and mortar used in buildings, infrastructure or vehicles must carry at least 5% Union-origin content. Aluminium must carry 25%. Steel escapes origin requirements entirely and faces low-carbon criteria instead. Cars get the strictest treatment. Electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles face EU assembly requirements, minimum EU conten