10 July 2026
On 5 and 6 July 2026, SGI Europe joined the Informal Meeting of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers under the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, held in Ballina, County Mayo. The meeting brought together Member States, the European Commission and social partners to discuss key social policy challenges, including poverty prevention across the lifecycle, effective enforcement in a changing world of work, and closing the disability employment gap for a more inclusive and competitive EU.
The setting of the meeting strongly reflected these priorities. Hosted in a high school, the informal EPSCO paid tribute to one of the most fundamental services of general interest (SGIs): education.
Commenting on the setting, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, stressed that meeting in Ballina was “perfectly in line with the Freedom to Stay agenda”, as it showed how vibrant rural communities can thrive when public authorities, social partners, enterprises and local actors work together. She added that hosting the discussions in a school made the message even stronger: “there can be no Freedom to Stay without schools, and without the services of general interest that our members deliver every day across Europe.”
During the discussion on the disability employment gap, SGI Europe highlighted the need to focus on implementation and practical support for employers. While principles such as reasonable accommodation are broadly accepted, employers do not always have the expertise to assess needs, identify appropriate adaptations or navigate support schemes.
SGI Europe also underlined that recruitment strategies alone are not enough. Successful inclusion often depends on continued support after recruitment, with employment services, healthcare professionals, rehabilitation providers and employers working together to intervene quickly when difficulties arise, particularly for persons with psychosocial disabilities or complex support needs.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On the margins of the informal EPSCO, SGI Europe has also presented its Policy Kit for the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, which runs from 1 July to 31 December 2026.
Welcoming the Irish Presidency’s focus on competitiveness, values and security, SGI Europe underlines that services of general interest (SGIs) are essential to deliver on all three priorities. From energy, transport, water, housing and waste management to healthcare, education, social services, digital connectivity, postal services and public service media, SGIs provide the infrastructure, services and workforce that allow citizens, enterprises and territories to thrive.
The Policy Kit stresses that Europe’s competitiveness agenda must be rooted in strong territorial foundations, accessible and affordable services, quality jobs, resilient infrastructure and long-term investment. SGI Europe also calls for the completion of the Single Market to support, rather than weaken, the capacity of SGI providers to deliver high-quality services in line with missions of general interest.
On values, SGI Europe highlights that European principles such as inclusion, equality, cohesion and non-discrimination can only become tangible through effective access to essential services. The Policy Kit also connects this agenda to the Freedom to Stay, affordable housing, quality jobs, social dialogue and the need to address recruitment and retention challenges across SGI sectors.
On security, SGI Europe calls for SGIs to be fully recognised as vital societal functions in EU preparedness, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, climate adaptation, energy security and resilience policies.
Finally, SGI Europe underlines that the next Multiannual Financial Framework must become the cross-cutting delivery tool for Europe’s competitiveness, cohesion, preparedness and resilience, with stable investment, strong partnership mechanisms and governance rooted in territorial realities.
Contact: Maxime Staelens
On 7 July, the Plenary adopted the European Parliament’s 2025 report on competition policy by 501 votes in favour, 61 against and 95 abstentions.
Calling for faster and more effective enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the report highlights the need to address Europe’s dependence on non-European digital platforms, financial infrastructures and critical technologies, while ensuring that competition rules remain fit for an evolving digital, economic and geopolitical landscape.
The Parliament also supports reinforcing the resources available for competition enforcement, including through a possible “DMA fee” to ensure that the regulator has a stable, independent source of funding. It also calls for an assessment of a potential extension of the scope of the DMA to include emerging technologies such as AI models, chatbots, virtual assistants and connected television operating systems.
At the same time, MEPs underline the importance of enabling European companies to scale up and compete internationally, while preventing killer acquisitions. The report calls for a review of merger policy to better take into account innovation, investment and Europe’s ability to develop globally competitive industrial actors, while continuing to safeguard effective competition and consumer welfare.
The report also calls for stronger enforcement of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) regarding online platforms and marketplaces based outside the EU, ensuring that FSR compliance obligations do not overburden SMEs.
Finally, it urges the Commission to explore avenues for strengthening the independence of EU competition enforcement to ensure impartiality and limit political influence. In this context, it calls on the EU executive to present an impact assessment regarding the establishment of a dedicated, independent EU competition authority.
Contact: Raquel Carro-Andollo
On 7 July 2026, the European Parliament approved the revision of Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009 on the coordination of social security systems, marking a significant step in the modernisation of the EU framework governing the social security rights of mobile citizens and workers.
The revised rules aim to improve legal certainty for the approximately 16 million Europeans who live, work or study in a Member State other than their own. They clarify the determination of the applicable social security legislation, strengthen cooperation between national authorities and reinforce measures to combat fraud and abusive practices, including the use of letterbox companies.
The reform introduces several important changes to the coordination of social security benefits. It extends the export period for unemployment benefits to six months for jobseekers moving within the EU, establishes a common definition of long-term care benefits and simplifies access to family benefits in cross-border situations. The revised legislation also provides greater clarity for workers pursuing activities in more than one Member State.
The new framework further strengthens the rules applicable to posted workers through new notification requirements and revised eligibility conditions. It also seeks to improve the digitalisation of administrative procedures and the exchange of information between national authorities, contributing to a more efficient implementation of social security coordination rules.
The adoption follows several years of negotiations between the EU institutions. In March 2026, the European cross-industry social partners, including SGI Europe, BusinessEurope, SMEunited and ETUC, jointly called for the revision to be finalised, stressing the importance of legal certainty, digitalisation and a workable framework for labour mobility ahead of the forthcoming Fair Labour Mobility Package.
SGI Europe will analyse the final text in detail, notably the provisions concerning posting, prior notification requirements and the practical implications for employers and providers of services of general interest operating across borders.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On Tuesday 7 July, the European Commission presented a new Action Plan for a structured response to address the risks and harness the opportunities of advanced AI models for cybersecurity. The plan is built around three pillars: promoting the safe and responsible use of advanced AI, reinforcing the EU’s cybersecurity preparedness, and scaling up European AI capabilities for cybersecurity.
The initiative builds on the EU’s existing cybersecurity and AI frameworks. It seeks to enhance cooperation among Member States, industry, and relevant stakeholders to improve preparedness, strengthen information sharing, and support the development of secure digital technologies across Europe.
As part of the Action Plan, the Commission will work with the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) to develop a European Blueprint for a structured and secure access to advanced AI models. The initiative aims to offer organisations in critical sectors, such as energy, transport, health, or public administration, a safe platform to test and deploy AI solutions.
The Commission will also launch an EU Grand Challenge on AI for cybersecurity. This competition will bring together companies, researchers, and other stakeholders to develop innovative AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. Additionally, the EU will continue investing in sovereign AI capabilities, building on initiatives such as the AI Factories and Gigafactories, including measures to encourage private investment.
The Action Plan also highlights the importance of reinforcing Europe’s capacity to respond to evolving cyber threats, with a particular focus on protecting its critical infrastructure. To this end, ENISA will facilitate and support cooperation initiatives between public authorities, businesses and open-source communities. It will also issue additional guidance and recommendations.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
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