17 July 2026
On 14 July, the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) held an exchange of views with the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, on the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal, the Clean Industry State Aid Framework and the EU's industrial decarbonisation agenda.
Ribera underlined that the Clean Industrial Deal is central to strengthening Europe's competitiveness, arguing that clean technologies and clean energy represent the continent's next major industrial opportunity. Stressing that Europe remains a manufacturing powerhouse, she warned that dependence on fossil fuels continues to expose the EU to economic, climate and geopolitical risks.
Responding to concerns raised by Members on permitting and the State aid framework, Ribera argued that public funding alone will not be sufficient and highlighted the need for stronger EU-wide financing instruments, alongside a flexible State aid framework that preserves the integrity of the Single Market and prevents distortions between Member States with different fiscal capacities.
On industrial decarbonisation, Ribera confirmed that the forthcoming review of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) will seek to provide stable and predictable carbon price signals while supporting large-scale investment through the future Industrial Decarbonisation Bank. She added that the Electrification Action Plan will focus on the demand side and will be accompanied by a legislative proposal on future-proof electricity bills.
Closing the debate, Ribera reiterated that clean energy is the cheapest operational source of energy and insisted that Europe's long-term competitiveness depends on accelerating electrification and expanding renewable energy, while ensuring that public support effectively advances decarbonisation targets, safeguards the Single Market and helps attract private investment.
Contact:Raquel Carro-Andollo
On 14 July, Members of the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) exchanged views with the European Commission on the forthcoming Circular Economy Act (CEA).
Presenting the Commission's approach, officials underlined that a circular economy is an imperative from many points of view, including climate, environmental, economic, financial, geopolitical, strategic autonomy and social sustainability considerations.
The Commission highlighted three overarching objectives for the initiative. First, the CEA will aim to simplify the regulatory framework by unlocking the full potential of the Single Market for circular products and materials. This includes possible measures to harmonise, simplify and digitalise Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and facilitate shipments of recycled materials and critical waste streams through mutual recognition of end-of-waste criteria. The Commission stressed that the legislation will remain technologically neutral and will not prescribe specific technical solutions.
Second, the Act seeks to boost the EU’s competitiveness by increasing predictability regarding the supply and availability of secondary materials and creating favourable conditions for emerging sectors, particularly refurbishment. Demand-side measures, notably those related to public procurement, were identified as essential to stimulate markets for secondary materials.
Third, the Commission emphasised the environmental and climate benefits of increasing circularity by reducing the extraction and refining of resources and lowering CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions. While no binding targets are currently envisaged, the Commission indicated that success will be measured by progress in doubling the EU's circular material use rate from its current level of around 12% by 2030, alongside increased economic value creation and quality employment in circular sectors.
The Commission plans to present the proposal for the Circular Economy Act on 30 September.
Contact:Raquel Carro-Andollo
The Regulation establishing a common electronic declaration system for posted workers is moving towards final adoption, following endorsement of the provisional agreement by COREPER and approval by the European Parliament’s Employment and Internal Market Committees.
The new system will provide a multilingual EU interface through which enterprises can submit posting declarations using a standard form. Participation will remain voluntary for Member States. Those opting into the system will, however, have to use the common interface without imposing additional declaration requirements.
This is an important step towards reducing the administrative complexity faced by enterprises providing services across borders. The current fragmentation of national declaration systems creates unnecessary costs and uncertainty, particularly for enterprises operating in several Member States.
Ahead of the final trilogue on 23 June, SGI Europe joined the European cross-industry employers and European-level sectoral employers in calling for an agreement and swift adoption of the Regulation. In their joint statement of 17 June, employers stressed that the e-declaration will only deliver real simplification if it is implemented by as many Member States as possible and if the information requested remains limited to what is strictly necessary for the notification process.
The Regulation now awaits formal adoption by the European Parliament and the Council. Together with the recent agreement on the coordination of social security systems, it also prepares the ground for the Commission’s Fair Labour Mobility Package, expected in September 2026.
Contact:Guillaume Afellat
Eighteen Members of the European Parliament from six different political groups have jointly submitted a written question to the European Commission asking how the principle of Freedom to Stay will be reflected in the upcoming strategic cycle of the EU.
Their initiative builds directly on Enrico Letta's vision for completing the Single Market. It highlights a fundamental question for Europe's future: How can Europe ensure that people have genuine opportunities to build their lives where they choose, rather than feeling compelled to leave in search of jobs, education or essential services?
A stronger Single Market should expand opportunities everywhere. Europe's long-term competitiveness, resilience and territorial cohesion depend on vibrant local economies supported by affordable, accessible and high-quality services of general interest, skilled workers and attractive places to live and invest.
The parliamentary initiative reflects that the completion of the Single Market must go hand in hand with a more place-based industrial strategy. This means strengthening local production ecosystems, supporting regional innovation and ensuring that Services of General Interest (SGIs) continue to provide the foundations for economic activity across all European territories.
MEPs call for Freedom to Stay to become a guiding objective of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), linking competitiveness, territorial cohesion and social resilience. They also propose developing a Freedom to Stay indicator that would complement the European Semester by measuring whether citizens have real opportunities to remain and prosper where they choose. Finally, they ask how the Commission intends to follow up on Enrico Letta's recommendation to prepare a European Action Plan for High-Quality Services of General Interest (SGIs).
Contact:Benoit Cassorla
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