Roundtable: Budapest Energy Security Talks: Battery supply chains

13 - 14 July 2026, Budapest - invitation only

With Europe moving toward widescale electrification for its energy security, Hungary has become one of its main centres for battery and clean-tech manufacturing.  Against this backdrop, the discussion will centre on how Europe can scale battery supply chains and secure the battery systems needed for electrification, grid stability, industrial resilience, security, and long-term competitiveness. The challenge lies in ensuring Europe can build the industrial base to supply these systems at scale, under competitive and secure conditions.  

Drawing on EIES’ forthcoming report on battery supply chains, this session examined the gap between Europe’s rapidly growing battery needs and the current weaknesses in its manufacturing ecosystem. To wit: persistent bottlenecks in midstream processing, equipment, cost competitiveness, and demand formation, alongside growing exposure to external material and technological dependencies and cyber risks.  

The discussion focused on what these findings mean in practice for Hungary, Eastern Europe, and the wider European market. It will explore how battery-related investment can be translated into greater industrial value added, stronger local supply chains, and more resilient energy systems. In particular, how can the region ensure that rising foreign investment creates durable jobs, skills, and industrial capabilities here – and does not leave Europe stuck in low-end assembly while the higher-value parts of the chain remain elsewhere.

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