SPINDEC- Synergies for Policy alignment, INitiative Design and Implementation for Industrial DECarbonisation

SPINDEC addresses a key challenge in the decarbonisation of Europe’s Energy-Intensive Industries (EIIs): while ambitious European strategies, roadmaps and partnerships have already been developed, their implementation remains fragmented. Persistent barriers include insufficient policy coordination across countries, limited exchange of implementation experience, weak alignment between national and EU-level initiatives, and a lack of common approaches for monitoring progress and supporting informed decision-making.

SPINDEC builds on and accelerates the operationalisation of major European initiatives, including the European Industrial Green Deal, the P4Planet Partnership, Clean Steel Partnerships and their SRIAs, the SET Plan and ERA industrial technology roadmaps. It also directly builds on recommendations and gaps identified through the 2023–2024 Mutual Learning Exercise on Industrial Decarbonisation.

The project has four main objectives: to strengthen coordination and alignment among Member States and Associated Countries; to support the design and implementation of decarbonisation roadmaps and initiatives; to foster knowledge exchange, mutual learning and community building; and to valorise and disseminate results.

A distinctive feature of SPINDEC is its Member State-driven approach. Government bodies and agencies responsible for industrial decarbonisation in 16 countries ( 28 partners) actively participate in defining the policies and instruments to be analysed, benchmarked and redesigned. The countries involved cover more than 90% of the turnover and CO₂ emissions of EU Energy-Intensive Industries, providing the project with broad geographical and industrial relevance.

The implementation work is structured around Member State-driven Work Packages. WP2 updates the mapping of national and EU-level strategies and action plans and conducts a comprehensive gap analysis of Member State priorities. WP3 identifies policy instruments that Member States consider most relevant for joint assessment and benchmarking, based on their specific needs. WP4 facilitates best-practice exchange through networking, benchmarking and mutual learning among Member States and Associated Countries.

The results of these activities converge in physical workshops led by Member States. These workshops provide a space to discuss and validate key priorities, recommendations, updated strategies, relevant initiatives and potential benchmarks, with a direct focus on supporting policy implementation.

By connecting European strategic agendas with practical implementation at national level, SPINDEC aims to ensure that industrial decarbonisation strategies translate into concrete, measurable and scalable action. The project supports investment, innovation, SMEs and scale-ups, access to technology infrastructures and the deployment of low-carbon solutions, contributing simultaneously to Europe’s climate objectives, industrial competitiveness and sustainable growth.