17 April 2026
On Wednesday 22 April 2026, SGI Europe, together with members of the SGIs Network and MEPs from the European Parliament Intergroup on Services of General Interest and the Social Economy, will host an intergroup event touching upon the upcoming Anti-Poverty Strategy.
The debate will feature a keynote address from MEP Joao Oliveira (GUE/NGL, PT), EP rapporteur of the own-initiative report on Developing a new anti-poverty strategy, and Jiri Svarc, Head of Unit at the European Commission's DG EMPL, sharing the European Commission's perspective before the publication of the strategy, planned for 6 May 2026.
The discussion will be opened by MEP Benedetta Scuderi (Greens/EFA, IT), Vice-Chair of the Intergroup. A panel discussion, which will be moderated by MEP Marie Toussaint (Greens/EFA, FR), co-chair of the Intergroup on Fighting against Poverty, will bring together representatives of Services of General Interest providers, from various sectors, sharing their specific views on how strengthening essential services is key to fighting poverty. MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (S&D, IE), Shadow rapporteur of the own-initiative report on Developing a new EU anti-poverty strategy, will also have the opportunity to exchange with the room.
There will be a moment of exchange with the representative of the European Commission, panellists and the audience on this crucial topic.
The event will conclude with remarks by MEP Maravillas Abadia Jover (EPP, ES), wrapping up the afternoon discussion and calling for the European Commission to take essential services into account in drafting the Anti-Poverty Strategy.
The registration for this very timely discussion is still open until Monday 20 April 2026, here.
Contact: Benoît Cassorla
On 14 April, SGI Europe submitted its response to the call for evidence on the targeted revision of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Whilst acknowledging the EU's broader goals of strengthening competitiveness and strategic autonomy in key supply chains, such as Critical Raw Materials, opening the WFD for revision is unnecessary and premature.
A primary concern is the timing of this initiative, given that the recent revision of the WFD, the Groundwater Directive, and the Environmental Quality Standards Directive were only finalised by the Council in March 2026. These updates, which address short-term impacts and the relocation of pollution, have not yet entered into force or been evaluated. SGI Europe stresses that regulatory stability is a fundamental prerequisite for attracting capital for long-term water infrastructure and digitalisation projects.
Furthermore, SGI Europe highlights that the WFD is a vital component of the European Water Resilience Strategy and essential for the drinking water sector. While the revision seeks to assist the mining and metal processing sectors, it must not jeopardise downstream water quality, public health, or the affordability of drinking water. Instead, the framework must be strengthened in its implementation and in upholding the polluter-pays and precautionary principles. SGI Europe maintains its view that preventing pollution at the source is the most cost-effective approach and should be prioritised over short-term legislative planning changes.
In line with the position outlined in the feedback on the WFD, the SGI Europe Water Task Force will actively monitor these developments. Specifically, the secretariat will attend the dedicated working group meeting regarding the targeted revision to engage directly with the European Commission and other key EU stakeholders. Following these discussions, members will be informed of the results and outcomes to ensure a coordinated response to any proposed changes that might impact the water sector.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
On Monday 13 April 2026, the European Commission announced and launched a consultation with Member States on the preparation of a new State aid Temporary Crisis Framework to allow them to increase public support to address the impact of the crisis in the Middle East. The framework will build on lessons learned from earlier crisis frameworks, introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The proposed measures will target the most exposed sectors, such as agriculture, fisheries, road transport, and intra-EU short-sea shipping. The potential aid granted will help cover part of the price increases for fuel and fertilisers relative to pre-crisis levels and will be based on a beneficiary’s consumption. Member States will also be allowed to provide limited amounts of aid per company, except for the EU short sea shipping sector.
The draft also includes an adjustment to Section 4.5 of the Clean Industrial Deal Industrial Framework (CISAF), which foresees electricity price relief for energy-intensive industries that have been heavily affected. In this case, the intensity of aid will be temporarily increased.
The Commission will assess the need for other temporary measures on a case-by-case basis, including the possible subsidisation of the fuel cost of gas-fired electricity generation to reduce overall electricity costs.
Member States will need to respond to the questions on the proposals made by the Commission and on the need for additional measures by Friday 17 April. The Commission aims to adopt the Temporary Framework by the end of this month.
Contact: Raquel Carro-Andollo
On Wednesday 15 April, the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets adopted its interim report on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034, calling for a significantly more ambition.
In its position, MEPs are proposing an increase of around 10% compared to the European Commission’s July 2025 proposal. MEPs argue that the future EU budget should reach 1.27% of the EU's gross national income, while the repayment of the common borrowing under NextGenerationEU should remain outside the MFF ceilings.
The Committee stressed that new priorities such as defence, competitiveness, decarbonisation and preparedness cannot come at the expense of traditional EU policies. In particular, MEPs rejected a “one plan per Member State” approach that could merge or weaken cohesion policy, the European Social Fund and the Common Agricultural Policy, warning against a re-nationalisation of the EU budget and a loss of transparency and democratic oversight.
The Committee instead called for reinforced and distinct funding for cohesion policy, the European Social Fund, infrastructure, health, education and culture. It proposed increases of €124.2 billion for the European Social Fund, €78.9 billion for structural and cohesion funds, €25 billion for Horizon Europe, €9.9 billion for the Connecting Europe Facility, €6.6 billion for Erasmus+ and €1.7 billion for civil protection and health preparedness.
The position is broadly in line with SGI Europe’s calls for an ambitious EU budget focused on European added value, territorial cohesion and preparedness. SGI Europe highlights that stronger investment in services of general interest and critical infrastructures must go hand in hand with genuine partnership, involving regional and local authorities, social partners and SGI providers.
Contact: Maxime Staelens
Eurofound has published the 2024 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), one of the EU’s most comprehensive datasets on job quality and working conditions. Based on over 36,000 interviews across 35 countries, the EWCS provides robust, comparable evidence to support EU policymaking, including the ongoing discussions on the Quality Jobs Act.
The findings point to a broadly positive and nuanced picture. Job quality has improved over the past 15 years in most dimensions, including skills, working time quality, prospects and the physical working environment. At the same time, challenges remain in more specific areas, notably work intensity and aspects of the social environment.
Crucially, the report does not indicate a generalised deterioration of working conditions. Instead, it highlights significant differences across sectors, occupations and groups of workers, underlining the need for targeted and proportionate responses rather than one-size-fits-all regulation.
On key policy debates, the evidence is equally instructive. Algorithmic management practices remain limited at the aggregate level, although more present in certain sectors, suggesting a need for focused rather than horizontal measures. At the same time, the report identifies a clear implementation gap on psychosocial risks: 29% of workers are unaware of measures to prevent work-related stress.
Finally, the survey confirms the strong link between job quality, worker engagement and company performance, and highlights the continued importance of social dialogue for effective implementation. In the context of the Quality Jobs Act consultation, the EWCS provides a timely evidence base to support a balanced, implementation-focused approach.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
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