The European Commission has proposed mobilising €2 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to support 507 workers made redundant following the bankruptcy of Liberty Steel Belgium. Liberty Steel’s production lines in Belgium were shut down in December 2021 due to a shortage of raw materials. Despite efforts to restructure the entity, production never […]
Simplified rules for small mid-cap companies
New laws seek to boost the competitiveness of so-called small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU as they grow beyond SME status with specific measures. On Wednesday 25 February, three European Parliament committees voted in favour of proposals introducing the concept of small mid-cap companies (SMEs) and extending various exemptions to them that have […]
Commission aims to strenghten the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displace Workers
The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached by the European Parliament and EU Member States on its proposal to strengthen the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF). The EGF is an EU solidarity instrument for workers who have lost their job due to major restructuring, for instance the closing of a factory or the bankruptcy of […]
The Commission proposes to open negotiations to extend EU roaming to the Western Balkans
The European Commission has proposedopening negotiations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to integrate them into the EU’s “Roam Like at Home” regime. Once agreements with each of the partners have been finalised and they are all fully aligned with EU roaming rules, people travelling between the EU and the […]
The European Parliament defends air passengers’ rights
Compensation for delays of three hours or more, with no change in the amount Companies must provide travellers with a pre-filled form for compensation and refunds Hand luggage at no extra cost: one personal item and one small piece of luggage Adults travelling with children under 14 and passengers accompanying persons with reduced mobility must […]
MEPs seek to improve trainees’ working conditions across the EU
To prevent abusive practices against trainees, the Employment Committee wants traineeship contracts with clear provisions on pay, duration and social protection. The Employment and Social Affairs Committee has proposed changes to new EU rules on traineeships, in a report adopted on Tuesday by 42 votes to nine, and with six abstentions. The objective is to […]
Commission to cut EU Taxonomy red tape for companies
The European Commission has adopted a set of measures to simplify the application of EU Taxonomy. This will reduce the administrative burden for EU companies, thus enhancing EU competitiveness while preserving core climate and environmental goals. The Taxonomy Regulation entered into force in 2020, and its reporting requirements apply since 2022. By providing a common sustainability reference point for […]
New companies selected for major investments under the EIC STEP Scale Up program
The Commission has announced the second group of companies that have successfully passed the assessment phase of the Scale Up call of the European Innovation Council’s (EIC) Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). Together, they will receive up to a total of €90 million in equity investments, and will now move to the ERC Fund […]
Commission approves €612 million in Portuguese aid for energy-intensive companies
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €612 million Portuguese scheme to lower electricity levy rates for energy-intensive companies. The scheme intends to reduce the risk that these energy-intensive companies relocate their activities to countries outside the EU with less ambitious climate policies. An energy-intensive company is a business that consumes […]