The Minister highlighted in his speech that, although the decarbonization of the industry presents numerous challenges, it also offers new technological development opportunities for the Basque industrial sector. He also mentioned that the new Industrial Plan of Euskadi, currently under development, will be aligned with the European Commission's "Clean Industrial Deal," which aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the industry and accelerate its transition towards climate neutrality.

The day began with a presentation by Cristina Oyón, Deputy General Director of the SPRI Group, on the status of the Net Zero Basque Industrial SuperCluster (NZBISC) initiative, which aims to accelerate the decarbonization of the Basque industry while fostering the creation of technological development opportunities. In her presentation, Cristina reviewed the progress made to date and presented the expected results for this year 2025.

Next, Jose Luis Elejalde, Director of Energy, Climate, and Urban Transition at TECNALIA, presented the Q-Cero Alliance, with which NZBISC collaborates. Driven by IBERDROLA, Q-CERO brings together more than 90 organizations with the goal of promoting the decarbonization of thermal demand in Spain.

Subsequently, the day focused on analyzing the opportunities for the Basque industry from the new European legislative initiative recently presented by the Commission. This block began with a presentation by Ursula Woodburn, Director of the Brussels Hub of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), who provided the main insights of the "Clean Industrial Deal" through its six pillars: Access to Affordable Energy, Lead Markets & Industrial Decarbonisation, Financing & Innovation, Circular Economy & Raw Materials, Global Dimension, and Skills & Fair Transition. She also emphasized the importance of involving regions to achieve the goals effectively, highlighting the role of initiatives like the Net-Zero Basque Industrial SuperCluster (NZBISC).

To delve deeper into these aspects and analyze the implications of the "Clean Industrial Deal," Mikel González Eguino, Research Professor at BC3, moderated a round table in which, in addition to Ursula Woodburn, participated: Gonzalo Sáenz de Miera, Director of Climate Change and Alliances at IBERDROLA; Marta Sánchez Álvarez, Partner and Leader of the Energy Sector at EY; and Jose Luis Elejalde, Director of Energy, Climate, and Urban Transition at TECNALIA.

During the discussion, key aspects were highlighted, such as the focus on the competitiveness of the industry and the urgency of adopting measures in that direction, as well as the need to develop a plan that ensures regulation is aligned with agreed objectives. The importance of evaluating the strengths of the European industry in different sectors to properly guide efforts and investments was also emphasized, along with the need to plan and anticipate investments in electrical and gas (hydrogen, oxygen, and CO2) infrastructures in the medium and long term.

After the coffee break, during which attendees had the opportunity to enjoy a networking space, Marta Sánchez Álvarez, Partner and Leader of the Energy Sector at EY, presented the report "An Effective and Efficient Clean Industrial Deal for Europe," prepared by EY. The study results indicate that the decarbonization of the industry and competitiveness are not only compatible but can reinforce each other.

In the final session of the meeting, José Ignacio Hormaeche, General Director of the ENERGY CLUSTER, moderated a round table with representatives of the Basque industry on the decarbonization challenges they face and the support they can receive from the "Clean Industrial Deal." The debate included: Emilio Hidalgo Pérez, Head of Environment at SIDENOR; Patxi Rodríguez, Scientific-Technological Director at FAGOR EDERLAN; Asier Ochoa de Eribe, Director of Decarbonization and Sustainability at HEIDELBERG MATERIALS; Iñaki Sánchez, Factory Director at PAPRESA; and Jose de la Sen Urraza, Head of the Technological Solutions Hub at SENER.

During the round table, participants had the opportunity to present the decarbonization strategies and investments planned by their organizations. Regarding the "Clean Industrial Deal," they highlighted that it provides a good diagnosis of the industry's situation but pointed out the need for greater specificity and speed in the implementation of measures. They also expressed concern about the uncertainty generated by changes in sustainability dates and objectives, as well as the impact on the competitiveness of electrification measures due to high electricity prices.