21 November 2025
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 of the Intergroup on Wednesday 10 December 2025, at the European Parliament (Brussels).
Focused on “Freedom to Stay”, this event will highlight that the availability of high-quality Services of General Interest (SGIs), ranging from water, energy, and housing to healthcare, education, and social care, is fundamental to safeguarding the right of every citizen to build a life in any part of the Union. The discussion will focus on how to anchor SGIs at the core of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and on the future of Cohesion Policy.
The event will bring together EU policymakers and stakeholders to discuss how the next MFF and Cohesion Policy can make Services of General Interest the cornerstone of Europe’s territorial balance, turning the Freedom to Stay into a tangible reality for citizens in all territories.
Kata Tuttö, President of the European Committee of the Regions, and Enrico Letta, author of the report on the future of the EU Single Market, will address the event as keynote speakers.
You can register for the event on the following link.
Contact: Benoit Cassorla
On 18 November, SGI Europe participated in the Implementation Dialogue focusing on the third pillar of the Demography Toolbox, “Empowering older generations”, organised by Commissioner Šuica. The discussion brought together social partners, civil society and institutional stakeholders to assess progress in implementing key initiatives related to long-term care, age equality and Europe’s transition towards a longevity economy.
In her introductory remarks, Commissioner Šuica underscored the importance of addressing demographic change through holistic, forward-looking policies. She stressed that the EU must prepare for a society in which a growing share of the population is over 65, requiring adjustments to labour markets, care systems, and social protection.
The Commissioner highlighted ageism as one of the main barriers preventing healthy, skilled older people from remaining in the labour market, noting its psychological impact and the economic consequences for employers who lose valuable experience. She emphasised the EU’s commitment to non-discrimination under the Union of Equality and recalled that the European Year of Skills reinforced the importance of lifelong learning at all ages.
SGI Europe, in its intervention, underlined that demographic ageing is already creating pressure on services of general interest and makes active ageing a practical necessity. It highlighted social partners’ tools such as workforce planning, task adaptation and flexible work arrangements. Still, it stressed two urgent challenges: phased retirement remains financially penalising in many Member States, and workers over 55 have limited access to training, especially digital skills. SGI Europe called for financially neutral phased-retirement schemes and expanded, age-friendly training opportunities to support longer working lives.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On 18 November 2025, SGI Europe participated in the European Commission’s social partners hearing on priorities and future actions under the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030. The meeting, organised jointly by DG JUST and DG EMPL, brought together employers’ organisations, trade unions, and disability stakeholders to provide input on the mid-term reinforcement of the Strategy. The hearing forms part of the Commission’s wider consultation process ahead of the 2026 Communication on enhancing the Strategy up to 2030, alongside the ongoing progress report and parallel dialogues with Member States and civil society.
The Commission highlighted that, despite progress under the current Strategy, persons with disabilities across the EU continue to face significant barriers to full participation in society and the labour market. With around 90 million persons with disabilities in the EU and numbers expected to grow, the Commission stressed the need to reinforce efforts to promote equal opportunities, accessibility and inclusion.
The employers' representatives underlined that skills gaps remain a significant barrier to employment, particularly in basic and digital competencies. They called for strengthened strategies to help persons with disabilities acquire and update the skills needed in today’s labour market. They also pointed to the need for better-connected, well-resourced employment and integration services capable of offering practical, tailored support to both jobseekers and enterprises.
The Commission is currently preparing a Communication on enhancing the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities up to 2030, planned for Q2 2026. This publication will be accompanied by the mid-term progress report, which will assess implementation to date and identify remaining gaps. These processes will inform a set of new actions for the second half of the Strategy, aimed at strengthening disability inclusion and employment across the EU.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On November 19, the European Commission published the Omnibus proposal to simplify the existing rules on Artificial Intelligence (AI), data, and cybersecurity.
The initiative proposes to postpone the entry into force of the AI Act high-risk rules until six months after the Commission deems that the necessary standards and other support tools are available, with a maximum delay of December 2027. Furthermore, it removes the obligation for providers to register high-risk AI systems in the EU database. The role of the AI Office is also reinforced as the centralised body responsible for supervising all general-purpose AI models.
Regarding cybersecurity, the Omnibus establishes a single entry point for incident reporting across several pieces of legislation, including the NIS2 Directive, the Digital Operational Resilience Act, and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Additionally, the proposal includes targeted amendments to the GDPR, such as a narrower definition of “personal data” or allowing organisations to process personal data for AI-related purposes, provided there is a legitimate interest and they fully comply with all existing GDPR safeguards.
Finally, several regulations and directives are integrated into the Data Act to consolidate all EU data rules into a single piece of legislation, thereby improving legal clarity. There is also a stronger protection of trade secrets against the risk of leaks to third countries.
Together with the omnibus proposal, the Commission presented a new Data Union Strategy with additional measures to expand access to more high-quality data for AI; as well as a European Business Wallet, a digital tool that will allow companies to securely store, manage, and share official documents and communicate with other businesses and public administrations.
Contact: Raquel Carro-Andollo
On 19 November, the European Commission, together with the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, presented the Military Mobility Package, aiming to create a strong foundation for a Military Schengen and to prepare infrastructure, such as energy and transport, to enable seamless military movements across the EU. The Military Mobility Package comprises a regulatory proposal and communications to ensure security and allow the Member States to respond swiftly to external threats. The core of the package involves removing regulatory barriers to facilitate swift cross-border movements.
The package also introduces a dual-use readiness standard for infrastructures, allowing under the next Connecting Europe Facility Fund (CEF) for 2028-2034 to mobilise 17.65 billion Euros. The targeted investments aim to strengthen cybersecurity, energy security and readiness in both peace and crisis moments.
Important to note for public transport and rail, the proposal of the next Mult-financial Framework (MFF) for 2027 proposes 51.51 billion Euros for the specific objectives on transport and military mobility referred under Article 3(2)a, to invest in “the development of projects of common interest” and “adapt parts of the trans-European transport network for the military dual use of the transport infrastructure'' reflecting the intension of the European Commission to improve both civilian and military mobility.
Lastly, stronger governance and coordination are also envisaged with the package. The aim is to appoint a national coordinator for Military transport, enhance the European Transport Network under the TEN-T Committee, and create an expert group for military mobility transport facilities. With such proposals, the European Commission set the foundation for the development of the Military Schengen in the EU.
After an adoption by all three EU institutions, the Commission plans to implement the roadmap proposals immediately.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
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