20 March 2026
On 18 March 2026, Ingbert Liebing, SGI Europe President, and Valeria Ronzitti, General Secretary, addressed the Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment, emphasising the urgent need to reinforce Europe’s resilience through predictable frameworks, stronger investment and balanced territorial development. In the presence of Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission, and Antonio Costa, Council President, the discussions took place in a context of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, continued pressure on energy systems and prices, and persistent investment gaps affecting Europe’s long-term competitiveness.
SGI Europe highlighted three priorities to reinforce Europe’s economic stability and cohesion. First of all, maintaining a stable and predictable framework for the energy transition remains essential to sustain investor confidence and support innovation, with the EU’s ETS playing a central role in ensuring a coherent and credible decarbonisation pathway.
At the same time, closing Europe’s investment gap requires a significant scaling up of investment in essential infrastructures and services of general interest. While the development of the Savings and Investment Union can help mobilise private capital, continued and strengthened public investment, including through the European Semester and the next Multiannual Financial Framework, will remain indispensable, alongside efforts to avoid additional administrative or regulatory barriers.
Finally, SGI Europe underlined the importance of integrating the “Freedom to Stay” into the future Single Market agenda. Ensuring reliable access to essential services across all territories is a precondition for balanced economic development and for enabling citizens and enterprises to live, work and invest across the Union.
Strengthening Europe’s resilience ultimately depends on combining predictable frameworks, sustained investment and equitable access to SGIs across all territories.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On Monday 16 March, SGI Europe welcomed the Board of SGI Europe - Sweden to Brussels for a dedicated exchange focused on EU labour market developments, social dialogue and more broadly the role of services of general interest in supporting Europe’s economic and social objectives. The visit was part of a broader study trip by SGI Europe - Sweden aimed at strengthening cooperation and deepening understanding of EU-level policymaking and social partner engagement.
The meeting allowed SGI Europe’s general secretariat to present the organisation’s structure, priorities and ongoing work. Discussions focused on SGI Europe’s role as a European cross-industry social partner, its involvement in both bipartite and tripartite social dialogue, its contribution to shaping EU labour and social policies, as well as our sectoral activities and on the future of the Single Market. Particular attention was given to current priorities in employment policy, labour law and the implementation of EU social legislation, as well as to the challenges faced by employers of services of general interest across sectors.
This exchange was followed by a dedicated discussion with representatives of the Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Minzatu, providing an opportunity for an in-depth dialogue on the Commission’s upcoming initiatives. The conversation focused on the Roadmap towards the next European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, the forthcoming Quality Jobs Act and broader developments related to skills, labour mobility and preparedness. The discussion highlighted the importance of structured involvement of social partners in shaping these initiatives and ensuring they reflect the realities employers face on the ground.
The study trip allowed SGI Europe - Sweden to further highlight the importance of close coordination between national and European levels to ensure that policy developments are informed by practical experience and contribute effectively to strengthening Europe’s labour markets, competitiveness and cohesion.
Contact: Maxime Staelens
On the day of the Tripartite Social Summit, SGI Europe, together with the SGI Network members, published a Joint Declaration calling for the Freedom to Stay to become a reality, highlighting the need for a renewed balance between competitiveness, cohesion and resilience across Europe.
Too often, access to jobs, housing or essential services still requires leaving one’s region. The credibility of the Single Market today depends on whether people can build a life where they feel at home, regardless of where they live.
As mobility must remain a freedom, not an obligation. Both citizens and enterprises need the conditions to have the Freedom to Stay in the region they call home. It is about ensuring that every territory has the conditions to thrive, including access to high-quality, affordable SGIs, a skilled workforce and investment opportunities.
Through this Joint Declaration, the signatories call for:
This initiative builds on the momentum of the Coalition for the Freedom to Stay, launched in February 2026, bringing together actors committed to a more balanced and inclusive Single Market.
More on the SGI Network Joint Declaration and on the Coalition for the Freedom to Stay.
Contact: Benoît Cassorla
On 19 March, SGI Europe submitted its response to the public consultation on the revision on Governance of the Energy Union and climate action, underlining the vital role of Services of General Interest (SGIs) in achieving a climate-neutral and resilience Europe by 2050. The feedback refers to the recommendations in SGI Europe's opinion paper on the EU climate Architecture beyond 2030, advocating for a governance framework build on flexibility and local expertise.
Central to the arguments lies in the approach towards technology neutrality. The framework should remain open to all low-carbon technological solutions that contribute to emission reductions, ensuring a level playing field for diverse decarbonisation pathways alongside renewables. This approach allows Member States to adopt the most efficient energy mix tailored to their specific national circumstances.
Therefore, empowering local and regional authorities is essential for effective climate governance. Decentralisation allows for climate actions that are tailored to local contexts, leveraging the expertise of municipalities and public service providers who operate at the forefront of the transition.
Furthermore, the implementation of National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) is critical. These plans must evolve into clear investment blueprints that provide predictability for operators. To support this, the multi-year earmarking of ETS revenues is recommended to fund decarbonisation policies in key sectors like energy, transport and buildings.
Lastly, the strategy underlines the importance of environmental protection and climate resilience. Adopting a Resilience by Design approach ensures that critical infrastructure, including energy, transport, water and waste management, is built to withstand climate shocks from the outset. This includes prioritising the security of essential services and maintaining high environmental standards to protect public health.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
On Monday 16 March, the Commission adopted new State aid Land and Multimodal Transport Guidelines (LMT Guidelines), as well as the State aid Transport Block Exemption Regulation (TBER). These instruments have the goal of supporting more sustainable passenger and freight transport in the EU.
The LMT Guidelines, which replace the 2008 Guidelines on State aid for railway undertakings, set out the conditions under which State aid needs to be notified to the Commission before being granted. They cover all land transport modes that are considered more sustainable than road transport, that is, rail, inland waterways and sustainable multimodal transport.
The Guidelines comprise both operating and investment aid measures, such as aid for the construction of transport facilities or aid for the launch of new connections. They also include more flexibility for the measures that contribute to the digital and the green transitions, including aid to promote interoperability. Additionally, the text contains safeguards to support the entry and growth of new operators in the sustainable land transport market, with specific measures for SMEs and small-mid-caps.
As for the TBER, it complements the Guidelines through the exemption from the requirement of previous notification for certain categories of aid in the rail, inland waterways and sustainable multimodal transport sectors. This will allow Member States to quickly provide public support when certain conditions are met, reducing unnecessary administrative burden.
Both instruments will enter into force on 30 March 2026 and, while the Guidelines have no expiration date, the TBER will be in place until 31 December 2034.
Contact: Raquel Carro-Andollo
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