As Europe expands its battery manufacturing base, scaling midstream processing capacity is becoming a critical challenge. While policy is driving localisation, cost, feedstock access and global competition are shaping where capacity is ultimately built. This panel examines how industry is approaching the development of processing and refining capacity ' within Europe and through partnerships beyond ' and what this means for competitiveness, supply security and long-term growth. ' How much midstream capacity can realistically be built within Europe? ' Where will processing capacity sit across Europe, nearshore markets and global supply chains? ' What role will partnerships and regions such as Morocco play in supporting scale? ' How are companies securing feedstock to underpin midstream investment? ' Can Europe deliver cost-competitive processing at scale? ' How are policy and localisation requirements influencing investment decisions?