Insights and Analysis

EU-UK Spotlight: Renewables, trade, and the global supply chain

04 June 2026

This is the second instalment of a three-part global series focused on renewables, trade, and the global supply chain. In this EU-UK. spotlight, we outline key EU and UK considerations for renewable developers and investors, as well as guidance for navigating the evolving trade and political environment.

Key takeaways

Ambitious net-zero goals, persistent China dependence: The EU and UK continue to push aggressive decarbonization and energy security agendas, but large-scale renewable projects remain heavily reliant on Chinese components.

Heightened trade, supply chain, and national security scrutiny: Governments are tightening oversight through procurement rules, trade-defense measures, ESG and forced-labor regimes, and expanded FDI screening – raising compliance costs and increasing execution risk for projects with foreign suppliers or investors.

Resilient deal structuring is essential: Developers and investors must integrate supply-chain diligence, regulatory risk mapping, and contractual flexibility to keep projects viable.

This is the second instalment of a three-part global series focused on renewables, trade, and the global supply chain. In this EU-UK spotlight, we outline key EU and UK considerations for renewable developers and investors, as well as guidance for navigating the evolving trade and political environment.

Authored by Torsten Rosenbloom, Eva Monard, Scott Tindall, and Mesut Korkmaz.