The Business Times
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Asia anguishes over proposed EU Industrial Accelerator Act

As the EU signals a trade policy pivot, countries like China and Japan mull its effect on competition and business

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    • A JMEV electric vehicle assembly line in China's Jiangxi province. No countries are named as targets of IAA, but its rules are designed to address concerns about China's powerful position in clean-tech supply chains.
    • A JMEV electric vehicle assembly line in China's Jiangxi province. No countries are named as targets of IAA, but its rules are designed to address concerns about China's powerful position in clean-tech supply chains. PHOTO: REUTERS

    Andrew Hammond

    Published Fri, Mar 13, 2026 · 07:00 AM

    OTTO von Bismarck, credited for unifying Germany in 1871, is thought to have said: “If you like laws and sausages, you should never watch either one being made.”

    A century and a half later, many are expressing a similar sentiment about the European Union’s landmark Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), presented on Mar 4.

    More than 40 versions of the Act have been drafted over multiple months, and the official announcement has been delayed more than half a dozen times since 2025.

    European UnionJapanSouth KoreaUnited KingdomEurope economyTrade

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