At the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, the ministers discussed at length what is needed to make Europe more competitive and resilient. A key theme was reducing high-risk strategic dependencies, including by strengthening the value chains for critical raw materials and building up Europe’s own key positions in technologies such as semiconductors and battery technology.
Working visit to LeydenJar
The ministers then visited LeydenJar, a Dutch scale-up that is developing a crucial component of the battery cell: a pure silicon anode called Silyte. This material is compatible with existing lithium-ion production lines and can contribute to battery cells with higher energy density. LeydenJar sees the collaboration between the Netherlands and France as an opportunity to pool European strengths: deep technological innovation from the Netherlands combined with large-scale production in France. To scale up to gigafactory level, the company is seeking partnerships with strategic partners, including the European Investment Bank.
During the visit, the ministers signed a joint declaration to further strengthen cooperation between the Netherlands and France.
Importance for the high-tech ecosystem
The visit highlights just how important international cooperation is for the Dutch high-tech ecosystem. By joining forces at European level in strategic sectors such as battery technology, the Netherlands and France are not only strengthening their own industries, but also Europe’s position as a whole on the world stage.
