Korea Battery Industry Association Partners with Fraunhofer Institute for EU Supply Chain Integration

Gate News message, April 17 — The Korea Battery Industry Association signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute on April 16 to strengthen bilateral battery technology cooperation. The agreement aims to help Korean battery and materials companies adapt to the European Union’s new Industrial Acceleration Act (IAA), which tightens market entry requirements through expanded domestic production, trusted partner-focused supply chain restructuring, and strengthened public procurement standards.

The collaboration combines South Korea’s battery manufacturing capabilities with Germany’s foundational technology expertise to create a cooperation model aligned with the EU’s battery supply chain reorganization framework. Key areas of cooperation include battery supply chain development, next-generation battery joint research and development (R&D), expert exchange and networking, and battery standards and certification. The partnership will operate through K-FAST, a Korean cooperation platform comprising 38 research institutes within Fraunhofer.

The two sides plan to launch joint research initiatives addressing three priority fields: AI-based manufacturing cost reduction, environmentally friendly processes for ESG sustainability, and fire-response solutions for enhanced safety. Implementation will combine company-driven problem-solving projects with joint Korea-Germany consortium-based research. The association will conduct technology needs surveys among member companies to identify collaborative research topics, while Fraunhofer will develop detailed research plans for phased rollout following consultations with both governments.

Um Gi-cheon, chairman of the Korea Battery Industry Association, stated: “The EU Industrial Acceleration Act fundamentally transforms supply chain and market entry conditions. This cooperation represents a crucial turning point for our companies to stably integrate into the EU supply chain as trusted partners. The association will support Korean companies’ EU market entry by linking technology cooperation with supply chain strategy.”