August 2025 | The French Hydrogen Diplomacy monthly news

Key takeaways on hydrogen from the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers

•2) Cooperative process to collaborate on the EU energy framework  

•”For example, Germany and France already share the view that the Delegated Act for Low-carbon Hydrogen and the RFNBO DA should facilitate a pragmatic and cost-efficient ramp up of these types of hydrogen. Based on the outlined working process and wherever necessary, France and Germany will engage with the European Commission towards swiftly implementing respective solutions, in particular in the DAs.”  

•4) Cooperation on cross-border hydrogen infrastructure and the implementation of a pragmatic and cost-efficient hydrogen ramp-up

•”Both countries recognize that the development of a dedicated European hydrogen infrastructure can contribute to a diversified, climate-neutral and resilient energy system for countries with electricity mixes with a high share of renewables. • France and Germany reaffirm their joint focus and long-term commitment to support the timely realization of the Southwestern Hydrogen Corridor, consisting of the pipeline projects H2Med and HY-FEN. Ongoing and future economic and feasibility studies should further confirm the relevance of this infrastructure, the next stages of project development and the decision planning. The initiative, including the private-sector Alliance on the H2Med Southwestern Corridor, will be continuously supported through the Franco-German Working Group on Hydrogen. France and Germany will engage in a joint discussion with Spain, Portugal and the European Commission to ascertain de-risking needs. This discussion could encompass the distribution of risks between market and public actors depending on their respective strategies.  • Through the H2 Important Projects of Common European interest (IPCEI Hydrogen), France and Germany accompanied the emergence of a hydrogen equipment value chain in Europe. Germany and France will act to ascertain the contribution of this European equipment to the different projects feeding the Southwestern Hydrogen Corridor. • Improving our understanding of the economic and technical model of electrolytic hydrogen production is important to devise proper support and incentive mechanisms. Germany and France commit to work together on these questions, including industrial and research stakeholders.“

•5) Research and innovative technologies in the energy sector

• “In the frame of the bilateral call for funding „Development of the hydrogen pathway for the future energy mix“ five research projects have been selected for the duration from Nov. 2024 until Oct. 2027. They investigate innovations for electrochemical hydrogen production, hydrogen infrastructure and hydrogen system integration. The aim of the call is to promote high-quality research collaborations. In order to use the momentum, Germany and France intend to expand the bilateral strategic research cooperation to the European level in the next years.”  

• Energy-intensive industries

• “FR and DE work jointly together in the Alliance for energy intensive industries with other MS. • France and Germany jointly emphasize the paramount importance of competitive electricity prices for energy-intensive industries and thus for maintaining and strengthening the foundations of industrial value creation, prosperity, and resilience in Europe. We will support efforts to keep this crucial issue high on the EU agenda. One instrument can be an industrial electricity price, taking into account a non-bureaucratic flexible application.“

(Source: 2025-08-29-dt-fr-wirtschaftsagenda-data.pdf)