Newsflash - 10 April 2026

“Fighting poverty through access to essential services: an SGI perspective on the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy” – Intergroup event at the European Parliament on 22 April 2026

SGI Europe, together with the MEPs involved in the European Parliament’s intergroup on Social Economy and Services of General Interest, will organise an event on the Anti-Poverty Strategy on Wednesday 22 April 2026, at the European Parliament (in Brussels).

Ahead of the publication of the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy planned for 6 May 2026, the event will bringing together MEPs, European Commission representatives, and providers of services of general interest to exchange views on how access to essential services such as energy, transport, and water can help prevent poverty, strengthen social inclusion, and support territorial cohesion. It will provide an opportunity to reflect on how the Strategy can better integrate the role of services of general interest in addressing structural drivers of poverty, including territorial disparities, labour market participation, and preparedness for social, economic, and climate challenges.

You can register here until Friday 17 April 2026. Due to a limited number of seats available in the room, we will go with a first-come, first-served principle. 

Contact: Benoit Cassorla

SGI Europe contributes to the call for evidence on the pensions package (PEPP and IORP II)

On 20 November 2025, the European Commission adopted a Pensions Package as part of its Savings and Investments Union (SIU) Strategy. The package included a Communication on enhancing the supplementary pensions sector, a Recommendation on pension tracking systems, dashboards and auto-enrolment, as well as legislative proposals to revise the IORP II Directive and the PEPP Regulation.

In this context, SGI Europe has published its position on the package, acknowledging the importance of strengthening supplementary pensions in Europe, particularly in light of demographic change and increasing pressure on public pension systems.

At the same time, the paper stresses that EU action must build on existing frameworks and respect the diversity of well-functioning national systems. SGI Europe raises concerns that several elements of the proposed review would move beyond the current minimum harmonisation approach and introduce additional layers of regulation, notably in governance, reporting, stress testing, and sustainability.

Such developments risk increasing administrative burdens, especially for smaller institutions, without clear added value, and may run counter to the EU’s objectives on competitiveness and simplification.

The position also underlines the central role of social partners in the design and management of occupational pension schemes and calls for full respect of collective bargaining autonomy.

Regarding PEPP, SGI Europe recalls that it should remain a voluntary third-pillar product and should not interfere with established occupational pension systems.

Overall, SGI Europe calls for a balanced approach that supports the development of supplementary pensions while preserving national flexibility, ensuring proportionality, and avoiding unnecessary regulatory complexity.

Contact: Guillaume Afellat

SGI Europe signs a joint letter on the EU's targeted revision of the Water Framework Directive

On 1 April, a broad coalition of European stakeholders addressed the European Commission regarding the critical link between water quality and the continent's economic resilience.

In the context of the current targeted revision on the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the signatories – EurEau, SGI Europe, Aqua Publica Europea, European Water Association (EWA), IAWD, AEPM-EMPA, Natural Mineral Waters Europe (NMWE) and UNESDA – called for a thorough economic impact assessment of any proposed revisions to the WFD. While the coalition supports the EU’s goals for strategic autonomy and the REsourceEU strategy to secure critical raw materials, they expressed concern that targeting legislative bottlenecks could inadvertently weaken the non-deterioration principle.

The stakeholders emphasised that a robust water framework is an environmental safeguard and a fundamental structural condition for economic growth. They warned that any decline in raw water quality would lead to significantly higher treatment costs, which would ultimately be passed on to households and businesses, potentially exacerbating inflationary trends. In more severe cases where additional treatment is technically or economically unfeasible, specific sources may have to be abandoned, reducing overall water availability and increasing tensions between competing users.

Ultimately, the joint letter underscores that regulatory stability is essential for the multi-decadal planning required for water infrastructure and innovation. By maintaining high-quality standards and predictable rules, the EU can ensure long-term investment while safeguarding the services of general interest that underpin the Union’s competitiveness.

Contact: Henriette Gleau

The European Commission presents a proposal for a 28th regime and a common EU company structure

On 18 March, the European Commission presented its proposal for “EU Inc.”, a new set of rules designed to simplify how businesses are created, operate and grow in the EU. The initiative will serve as the starting point for a common, EU-wide corporate framework, known as the 28th regime.

A key feature of the initiative is the digital-by-default approach. Entrepreneurs will be able to register an EU Inc. company in the Member State of their choice within 48 hours, at a cost of less than €100, with no minimum capital requirements. They will manage their operations entirely online throughout the company's entire lifecycle, including liquidation procedures. Innovative startups will also be able to access simplified insolvency procedures to ease the end of operations. This measure aims to promote the testing of innovative ideas and allow entrepreneurs to start again if needed.

The framework also applies the “once-only” principle, meaning companies submit their information just once via an EU-level interface that will connect all national business registers. The Commission plans to establish a central EU register as a second step to simplify procedures further.

EU Inc. aims to improve access to finance and investment by simplifying share transfers and facilitating access to the stock exchange. At the same time, it includes safeguards ensuring that national labour and social protections remain fully applicable.

Alongside the EU Inc. proposal, the Commission published a Communication on ongoing and future initiatives to complete the 28th regime in other areas, such as measures to improve access to capital for startups and scaleups, and the upcoming revision of pension fund investment rules.

Contact: Raquel Carro-Andollo