The European Commission today adopted an EU Maritime Industrial Strategy and a Port Strategy to boost competitiveness,sustainability, decarbonisation, safety and resilience in the EU maritime sector. The Strategies focus on ports, maritime transport and shipbuilding. Europe is a continent with a large maritime fleet, with the largest collective maritime area in the world. Its maritime […]
Common Agricultural Policy after 2027: EU leaders call for strengthening the regional dimension
In a high-level dialogue held on 3 March, organised by the Chair of the European Committee of the Regions’ Commission for Natural Resources (NAT), Piotr Całbeck i (PL/EPP), local, regional, national and European leaders discussed the future of the common agricultural policy (CAP) and rural development after 2027. The event addressed the European Commission’s July […]
Coal and Steel Research Fund: Council adopts position to make steel and coal industries cleaner and more competitive
The Council has reached an agreement (general approach) on a package of two proposals to reform the Coal and Steel Research Fund. The two Council Decisions aim to accelerate and simplify investments in research and innovation to promote competitiveness and a green and just transition for the steel sector and mining regions in the EU. […]
EU strengthens science diplomacy and research security to support global research cooperation
As geopolitical competition intensifies, research and innovation are becoming fundamental to economic strength and global influence. The European Commission today presented a new set of measures to strengthen Europe’s international engagement through research and innovation. The initiative seeksto strengthen Europe’s global partnerships while protecting its strategic interests, keeping international cooperation open and secure, and enhancing […]
EC proposes €2 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to support workers laid off from Liberty Steel in Belgium
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 […]
Von der Leyen promotes OceanEye and calls for an international alliance to strengthen ocean observation and protection
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called for the creation of an international alliance to strengthen and expand ocean monitoring and observation. This alliance will support OceanEye, the European ocean observation initiative, to consolidate efforts and collaboration in ocean observation on a global scale. President von der Leyen also announced an […]
EU and Switzerland signed a broad package of agreements to deepen its relationship
On 2 March 2026, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin signed a broad package of agreements aiming to deepen and expand the EU-Switzerland relationship. The package establishes a modern framework for the EU and Switzerland, enabling frictionless access to a market of […]
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 approves €1.1 billion French State aid scheme to support clean technology manufacturing capacity
The European Commission has approved a €1.1 billion French programme to support strategic investments that increase clean technology manufacturing capacity, in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Pact. This measure will contribute to the transition to a net-zero emissions economy. The programme was approvedunder the Clean Industrial Pact State Aid Framework (CISAF),adopted by […]