[Conference] SMM LiBE2025 Wrap-up: Discussing Industrial Policies and Exploring New Opportunities for China-Europe Cooperation

On November 4, the Li-ion Battery Europe 2025, organized by SMM and supported by ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment (Government of Catalonia), wrapped up at the Hilton Barcelona, Spain!

This summit focused on the rapid development of the European EV and lithium-ion battery industry, bringing together key decision-makers such as international policymakers, investors, manufacturers, raw material suppliers, component suppliers, and technical service providers.

The conference aimed to jointly discuss and interpret major issues currently facing the European battery industry, conducting in-depth analysis of the implementation status and latest progress of the new Battery Regulation, Battery Passport project, and Critical Raw Materials Act. Furthermore, the summit further discussed policy support and cooperation prospects for China-Europe battery projects, and explored effective pathways to promote the development of the European local lithium battery industry chain through global cooperation.

During the two-day conference, key representatives from various segments of the European lithium battery industry chain and EU government officials engaged in in-depth, multi-dimensional exchanges of ideas and experience sharing centered on core issues of industrial development:

• From the macro-level analysis of "The Necessity of Policy Support for Cross-Border Collaboration on Battery Projects" to the technical comparison of "The Role of NCM and LFP Batteries in the Transformation of the European Battery Market and Future Trends";
• From exploring pathways for "Cross-Border Collaboration Facilitating the Upgrade of Europe’s Battery Value Chain 2.0" to gaining cutting-edge insights into "Advances in Next-Generation EV Battery Technologies";
• From systematic reflections on "Building a Self-Sufficient European Supply Chain from Mining to Recycling" to regional practices such as "Spain’s Bid to Become a European EV Industry Hub";
• From market analysis of "Lithium Chemical Price Drivers and Market Forecasts" to strategic planning around "Challenges and Opportunities in Building Europe’s Battery Raw Material Ecosystem Under Policy Drivers";
• From sustainability discussions on "Balancing Economic Growth and Environmental Responsibility in Lithium Extraction" to practical experiences in "Cost Control of European Lithium Projects Under ESG Standards";
• From tackling green transformation through "Carbon Management in End-of-Life Power Battery Recycling" to circular economy practices in "Building Closed-Loop Supply Chains for Battery Recycling";
• From rational reflections on "A Critical Look at the Global Lithium Battery Recycling Market" to technological breakthroughs in "Recycling Innovation Enhancing Efficiency and Optimizing Costs";
• From global layout "Establishing Integrated Pathways for the Lithium Battery Supply Chain," to innovative explorations like "New Materials Frontier for Enhancing Battery Energy Density" and "Building Cross-Enterprise Data Collaboration Frameworks to Break Data Silos."

Each session was full of insights, and every exchange helped build consensus, making the event a highly rewarding experience for all delegates!

SMM provided full text and photo live coverage of the summit. Stay tuned!

》Click to view live photo coverage

November 3

Opening Address

Speaker:

Richard Clark, Global Head of Specialty Materials and Processes, Appian Capital Advisory

Adam Fan, Chairman of SMM

Welcome Address: Strengthening the Battery Ecosystem in Catalonia

Speaker:

Mr. Jaume Baró Torres, Secretary Enterprise and Competitiveness, Government of Catalonia

Keynote Speech:

CRMA & National Funding Programs The way forward for Europe?

Speaker:

Michael Gerald Schmidt, Senior Geologist/Analyst, The German Raw Materials Agency (DERA)

The European Union has identified and finally acknowledged the dependency and bottleneck issues concerning certain raw materials. The Critical Raw Materials Act and all its pillars, links, and sub-levels represent a rhetorically "strong" response and set very ambitious targets for 2030. Without ambitious goals, there can be no progress. The Critical Raw Materials Act alone cannot solve the potential funding gap for raw material projects, nor was it originally intended to do so. As required by the Critical Raw Materials Act, national exploration programs will help identify the raw material potential within the EU. National funding plans and schemes, formulated by individual EU member states, are now being implemented. These national funding programs are insufficient to fully support the funding needs of the projects required to meet the CRMA's objectives, and they were not originally established for this purpose.

Globally, competition for critical and strategic raw materials remains intense. Europe faces high production costs, such as for energy and labor, both currently and for the foreseeable future. Achieving strategic independence comes with a corresponding "price," and the question of who will bear these costs is a subject for discussion. Producing critical and strategic raw materials within Europe not only enhances supply chain security but is also expected to yield positive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts. To accelerate this process, fact-based stakeholder dialogue, "fast-track" permitting procedures, and broad societal acceptance will be crucial factors. Time and capital (investment) play indispensable roles in this process.

Keynote Speech:

Battery Passport: From Compliance to Competitive Advantage

Speaker:

Marco De Luna, Lead Product Manager - Battery Value Chain, Stellantis

Panel Discussion: The Necessity of Policy Support for Cross-Border Collaboration on Battery Projects

Moderator:

Alex Stanbury, CEO and Co-founder, Recyclus Group

Panelists:

Pau Sanchis, EU Public Affairs & Policy Director, CATL

Steven Zhang, CTO, Shenzhen Senior Technology Material Co., Ltd.

Truls Johansen, Vice President Upcell Alliance / CSO at Elinor Batteries, UpCell Alliance

The guests discussed policy coordination and regulatory alignment, infrastructure and supply chain integration, trade facilitation and market access, risk mitigation and geopolitical resilience.

Keynote Speech:

Huayou Recycling - Unique Closed-Loop Solution Provider

Speaker:

Wei Zhang, Managing Director Europe and North America, Zhejiang Huayou Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. (Silver Sponsor)

Panel Discussion: Key Comparison - The Role of NCM and LFP Batteries in the Transformation of the European Battery Market and Future Trends

Moderator:

Julian Englberger, Vice President Operations, Cylib (Silver Sponsor)

Panelists:

Mirko Arnold, Vice President of Business Management for Battery Materials, BASF

Pablo Fernandez-Santos, Managing Director of Basquevolt

Márton Pap, Sales Director of ElevenEs

Alex Holmes, Chief Operating Officer of Nano One

The guests shared insights on the market applications and future trends of ternary batteries and LFP batteries, technological advancements and performance, supply chain and raw material dependencies, cost structures, and economic aspects.

Panel Discussion: How Cross-Border Collaboration Can Help Europe Succeed in the Battery Value Chain 2.0

Moderator:

Edgar Monteiro, Consultant Lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer

Panelists:

Matt Fernley, Founder and Managing Director of Battery Materials Review

Ekin Ober, Managing Partner of Valaris Group

Fabien Levaillant, Managing Director of BNP Paribas

Anthony Tse, Founder of NEO Capital

Tobias Frieser, Development Consultant of Suzhou Pophen Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.

The guests engaged in lively on-site discussions, addressing investment strategies and financial models, policy frameworks and regulatory coordination, technology transfer and joint ventures, as well as geopolitics and supply chain resilience.

Keynote Speech:

Advanced Materials: Innovative Solutions for Next-Generation Batteries

(Silver Sponsor) Speaker:

Dr. Jianan Zhang, Research Engineer, Guangzhou Tinci Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

(At the speaker's request, this presentation is not publicly available.)

Panel Discussion: Advances in Next-Generation Battery Technologies for EV Applications

Moderator:

Dr. Simon Engelke, Founder and Chairman of Battery Associates

Panelists:

Han Meng, Head of Strategic Operations at PowerCo SE

Richard Bouveret, CEO and Chairman of Blue Solutions

Nicole Neub, Director of Battery Technology Division at Exentec Germany GmbH

Lakshya Gupta, Senior Analyst at SFA Oxford

Diana Fu, Chief Marketing Officer of Sichuan Union Shine New Energy Sci-Tech Co., Ltd.

The on-site guests shared insights on the disruptive changes brought by solid-state batteries, silicon-based anodes as a gradual yet profound development, lithium metal anodes breaking through energy density bottlenecks, and sodium-ion batteries as an alternative to LFP.

Keynote Speech:

An Innovative, Eco-Friendly, and Low-Energy Continuous Graphitisation Technology for Large-Scale Production of Artificial Graphite Anode Materials

(Platinum Sponsor) Speaker:

Shuaigang Wang, Senior R&D Engineer at Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd.

Keynote Speech:

Advancing High-Performance, Low-Cost Carbon-Based Battery Materials to Meet Global Demand

Speaker (Silver Sponsor):

Dr. Hui Dong, ESS R&D Manager at Ingevity

Keynote Speech:

Easpring's Contribution to the Battery Value Chain

Speaker (Platinum Sponsor):

Jashon Guan, CEO of Easpring Finland and Chief Commercial Officer of Easpring

Panel Discussion: From Mine to Recycling: How Can Europe Build a Self-Sufficient Lithium Battery Supply Chain?

Moderator:

Nicole Neub, Director of Battery Technology Division, Exentec Germany GmbH

Panelists:

Florian Wunsch, Chief Commercial Officer, UP Catalyst

Tom Van Bellinghen, CEO and Founder, Lithink

Pierre-Alexandre Levy, Commercial Director of Lithium Business, Imerys

Ilya Gasparishvili, Senior Project Manager, Digital Product Passport, Honeywell

Albert Albareda, Founder and CEO, AL&P PROJECTS S.L

The guests discussed policy promotion and industry collaboration, resource independence and supply chain security, and geopolitical variables.

SMM European Automotive Summit and Catalonia Automotive Week Opening Ceremony

Panel Discussion: Supply Chain Restructuring—How Spain Can Become an Industrial Hub for Europe's EV Sector

Moderator:

Lesley Yang, Senior Lithium Battery Industry Analyst, SMM

Panelists:

Gonzalo Zabala, Procurement Director – Transportation and Logistics (Procurement and After-Sales Services), Europe, Middle East and Africa, Stellantis

Ignasi Castelló, Chief Purchasing Officer, Ficosa International

Pablo Méndez, Procurement Director, Renault Group Iberia

The guests shared insights on European supply chain implications, Spain's advantages (technology sharing + local procurement, port advantages), prospects for European business development (establishing supporting facilities following automakers in Europe), and challenges and countermeasures in the localization process (key issues identified through enterprise surveys).

Keynote Speech:

Chery International Europe Brand Presentation

Speaker:

Eric Liu, Country Director of Chery International Omoda & Jaecoo Spain Subsidiary

Address by the Government of Catalonia

Speaker:

Riánsares López Monzón, Senior Consultant, ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment (Government of Catalonia) | Chair of the Automotive, Transport and Mobility Sector Group (EEN)

Panel Discussion: Europe Reborn: How Chinese Automakers and Spanish Brands Are Shaping the Future of Mobility

Moderator:

Maria Ma, Head of New Energy Industry Research, SMM

Panelists:

José Óscar Leiva Méndez, CEO and Managing Partner, Hitch Capital

Edu Blanco, CEO, SANTANA MOTORS

David Ortega, Managing Partner, Muvmi

Joan Miquel Malagelada, Board Member, EBRO EV Motors

This session delved into how Spain can become a key gateway for the reindustrialization of the European automotive industry by establishing strategic alliances with Chinese automakers and long-standing Spanish brands. Drawing on successful cases such as EBRO-Chery and SANTANA-ZNA-Anhui title sponsorship, Professor David Ortega shared preliminary insights from his doctoral research alongside invited guests. The discussion covered industrial policy transformation, adjustments to subsidy policies, and shifts in consumer perceptions of the EV market.

November 4

Raw Materials Conference

Keynote Speech:

SMM Insights – Driving Factors of Lithium Salt Prices and Future Market Forecasts

Speaker:

Maria Ma, Head of New Energy Industry Research, SMM

Maria Ma, Head of New Energy Industry Research at SMM, shared insights on the topic of "Driving Factors of Lithium Salt Prices and Future Market Forecasts." When discussing recent market conditions, she stated that stricter mining compliance reviews in China led to short-term lithium supply disruptions, coupled with robust Q4 demand, providing short-term upward momentum to prices from a fundamental perspective.

Regarding global lithium demand, the rapid expansion of the EV and ESS markets in recent years has driven a surge in lithium demand. Although end-use demand is expected to continue growing, its growth rate has slowed down. LFP batteries still have room to increase their market share, while lithium carbonate is expected to continue dominating lithium demand. With technological advancements and cost reductions, the application of LFP is anticipated to further expand.

Panel Discussion: Policy-Driven Self-Sufficiency in European Battery Raw Materials - Supply Chain Challenges and Opportunities

Moderator:

Tamer Talu, Managing Director, HT International Trading and Consultancy Limited

Panelists:

Jay Yang, Vice President and President of Region NAFTA and EMEA/Chairman and CEO of COBCO, CNGR Advanced Material Co., Ltd.

Konstantin Burger, VP of Corporate Development, Rock Tech Lithium

Dr. Le Anh Ma, Business Development Manager, ABB Industries LLC

Astrid Karamira, Sustainability & Governance Manager, International Lithium Association

Keynote Speech:

Lithium Extraction in Europe: Balancing Economic Growth with Environmental Responsibility

Speaker:

Bernardo Gross, COO, Lifthium Energy

Keynote Speech:

Ingredients for Change

Speaker:

Gerardo Arbeo Barron, Sales Director Europe, We Soda

Keynote Speech:

The Invisible Catalyst: The Critical Role of Industrial Gases in Battery Manufacturing

Speaker:

Guillaume de Verthamon, Global Market Director, Air Liquide

Panel Discussion: How Can Europe's Lithium Projects Cut Costs While Meeting ESG Standards

Moderator:

Nikola Vekić , Battery Value Chain Expert, McKinsey & Company

Panelists:

Christian Freitag, Chief Commercial Officer, Vulcan Energy Resources

Dominic Wells, Research Director, Project Blue

Daniel Monfort Climent, Geological Engineer and Project Manager MaDiTraCe Project Manager, BRGM (French Geological Survey)

Peter Ehren, CTO, Lithium Ark

Recycling Forum

Keynote Speech:

Challenges and Strategies for Carbon Management in the Recycling of End-of-Life EV Batteries

Speaker:

Dr. Linhan Ge, Head of Technical Solutions,

North Star Advanced Recycling Technology (Qingdao) Co., Ltd.

Panel Discussion: Battery Recycling and the Circular Economy - How Europe is Building a Closed-Loop Supply Chain?

Moderstor:

Jared Zhu, Consulting Director, SMM

Panelists:

Ole-Christen Enger, CEO, Hydrovolt

Cédric Demonthy, VP Battery Recycling, Umicore Group

Leon Farrant, CEO & Co-Founder, Green Li-ion

Filipe Costa, Managing Director, Revomet GmbH

Paul Yum, Vice President, SungEel Hi Tech Co., Ltd.

Keynote Speech

From Innovation to Integration: Commercially Viable & Industrialized Solutions for Advanced Liuthium Battery Recycling

Speaker

Miko Yuan, Global Business Development Manager, Cyclewell Technologies

Keynote Speech:

A critical look at Global LIB recycling market: What can be learned from China's Experience

Speaker:

Jared Zhu, Consulting Director, SMM

Jared Zhu, Consulting Director at SMM, shared insights on the topic "A critical look at Global LIB recycling market: What can be learned from China's Experience." He stated that over the past few years, the total volume of recyclable lithium batteries globally has experienced rapid growth. It is projected that the theoretical global lithium-ion recycling volume from retired end-of-life batteries will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 48% from 2024 to 2030, with future growth rates potentially significantly higher than those for production waste and inventory retirement sectors. SMM forecasts that after 2028, the theoretically recyclable metal content from end-of-life batteries may gradually exceed that from production waste.

Panel Discussion: Recycling Innovations in New Technologies – Balancing Low Processing Costs and High Recovery Rates

Moderator:

Daria Arbuzova, Head of Sales and Trading, Revomet GmbH

Panelists:

Ulf Rademacher, Business Development & Sales, Primobius GmbH

Greg Pitt, Vice President of Battery Materials, Worley

Christian Spano, Director of Circularity, Vale Base Metals

Juha Kokko, Commercial Manager, Recycled Raw Materials, Fortum Battery Recycling

Keynote Speech:

From Scrap to Resource: Enhancing the Resilience of Europe's Supply Chain and Accelerating the Industrialization of Next-Generation Battery Recycling

Speaker:

Julian Englberger, Vice President Operations of cylib

Panel Discussion: Establishing a Solid Path for Integrated Lithium Battery Supply Chain in Europe

Moderator:

Lesley Yang, Senior Lithium Battery Analyst at SMM

Panelists:

Lluís París, Head of Automotive Department, Port of Barcelona

Cynthia De Pauw, Director of International Development, EUTRACO

Greg Pitt, VP of Battery Materials, Worley

Side Event: Achieving Transparency in the Battery Value Chain

Keynote Speech:

Strategic Autonomy on Critical Raw Materials: How EIT RawMaterials Supports the Security of Raw Materials for European Industry

Speaker:

Andre Ufer, Coordinator Critical Raw Materials Facility, EIT RawMaterials

Panel Discussion: The Frontier of New Materials for Increasing Battery Energy Density

Moderator:

Tom Van Bellinghen, CEO and Founder of Lithink

Panelists:

Daniel Monfort, MaDiTraCe Project Manager, BRGM

Laura Corredor, IT Project manager Lead (Traceability & Circular Economy), Circularise

Christian Spano, Director of Circularity, Vale Base Metals

Keynote Speech:

Carbon Footprint Declaration Under the EU Battery Regulation: Upstream Data Challenges

Speaker:

Sophie Myers, Consultancy Team Lead, Minviro

Panel Discussion: Breaking Down Data Silos: How to Build a Cross-Enterprise Data Collaboration Framework for the Lithium Battery Industry?

Moderator:

Pavel Tsedenov, CEO, ReSource

Panelists:

Carsten Stöcker, CEO, Spherity

Pierre-Alexandre Levy, Lithium Business Development Director, Imerys

Leon Farrant, CEO & Founder, Green Li-ion

Keynote Speech:

Battery Materials Regulation Chain: Putting the EU Battery Regulation into Practice

Speaker:

Karolin Langfeldt, Director of Business Development, Circulor

Cocktail & Tea Break Highlights

Special thanks to BMSer Technology and PYLONTECH for their strong support of the Li-ion Battery Europe 2025! Cocktails and tea breaks infused the on-site exchanges with vibrant energy, allowing delegates to deepen communication in a relaxed atmosphere and lay a solid foundation for future collaboration.

With this, the Li-ion Battery Europe 2025 has successfully wrapped up! Thank you for the support from all industry peers.

We look forward to seeing you next year!