6 June 2025
SGI Europe is pleased to invite you to the final high-level conference of the Accessible Climate Conscious Essential Services (A.C.C.E.S.) project, taking place on Wednesday 25 June 2025, from 9:30 to 12:30, at the European Economic and Social Committee, in Brussels.
The project, implemented over two years and now coming to an end, represents a key milestone in the joint efforts of SGI Europe and its partners to support the implementation of Principle 20 of the European Pillar of Social Rights: access to essential services of good quality for all.
The conference organized by SGI Europe and the A.C.C.E.S. project partners will aim at: bringing insights from the ground to the European Commission to help steer the work in reaching the EC’s 2030 social headline targets, and preparing the New Action Plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights by showcasing the importance of services of general interest.
The event will start with a video message from Roxana Mînzatu, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, a speech by Mario Nava, Director General at DG EMPL, and a dedicated session on the "Policy Pathways for Sustainable, Affordable and Accessible SGIs" during which the A.C.C.E.S. project expert will present the main key findings and challenges identified during the project implementation. It will be followed by a panel where MEPs will provide their political insights on the Naw Action Plan on EPSR.
To attend the final conference, here is the link to register!
Contact: Cecilia Martin
On 4 June, the European Commission adopted the EU’s first-ever Water Resilience Strategy, a major step to place water at the core of the EU’s political agenda. Water is essential to people, nature, and Europe’s societal and economic well-being. The strategy focuses on restoring and protecting the water cycle, building a water-smart economy, and ensuring clean and affordable water and sanitation for all. Water resilience faces challenges from pollution, climate change, and the complex coordination required across sectors, regions, and governance levels, making this strategy timely and necessary.
The strategy outlines three core priorities:
SGI Europe welcomes the focus on pollution prevention and the polluter-pays principle but is concerned about revisiting the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme in the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, which risks shifting costs to citizens. SGI Europe urges robust investment, long-term planning, and well-resourced public authorities and water operators to achieve the strategy’s goals.
The Water Task Force will hold its meeting dedicated to further analyse the Strategy's proposals on Friday 13 June.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
SGI Europe is pleased to invite all stakeholders to the Final Conference of the Finance4EPSR project, taking place in the afternoon of 11 June 2025 at the Cardo Hotel in Brussels, with the possibility to follow the event online. You can still register here.
As the project concludes, this conference will present the main results and tools developed to strengthen the social dimension of sustainable finance, particularly how providers of services of general interest (SGIs) can better assess and communicate their social contributions to attract sustainable investment.
We are delighted to announce the participation of Margaret Carroll, Head of the Social Policy Unit at the European Investment Bank (EIB), who will join the conference to share the EIB’s perspective on financing social impact and supporting public service provision through innovative investment strategies.
From the European Pillar of Social Rights to the practical application of social investment tools, the conference will bring together EU institutions, SGI providers, financial actors, and project partners to discuss the future of socially sustainable finance.
Contact: Cecilia Martin
On 5 June 2025, SGI Europe took part in the joint meeting of the Employment Committee (EMCO) and the Social Protection Committee (SPC), where the European Commission presented its 2025 Spring Package under the European Semester. The meeting brought together representatives of EU institutions, national governments, and key stakeholders including social partners.
In its intervention, SGI Europe welcomed the new format of the Spring Package, including the full application of the reformed economic governance rules. SGI Europe particularly highlighted the importance of linking reforms and investment in a way that reflects the realities of services of general interest (SGIs) across all territories.
Drawing on its recent work, SGI Europe called for a renewed focus on territorial cohesion and resilience, stressing the need to reinforce access to essential services in the context of demographic shifts, climate challenges, and skills shortages. SGI Europe also reiterated its support for a pragmatic, inclusive approach to social dialogue, calling for stronger capacity-building for social partners at all levels.
In addition, SGI Europe addressed the need to foster coherence between the ongoing work on the Quality Jobs Roadmap and the upcoming EPSR Action Plan, underlining the importance of aligning social and economic governance with the needs of SGI employers.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On 5 June 2025, the European Commission launched a Call for Evidence and a public consultation as part of its planned revision of the State aid rules for Services of General Economic Interest (SGEI), with a particular focus on affordable housing. You can access them here.
The initiative responds to growing housing affordability challenges across the EU, which are increasingly also affecting middle-income earners. As part of its wider Affordable Housing agenda, the Commission is considering updates to the SGEI Decision and possibly the SGEI Communication to provide Member States with greater flexibility to finance affordable housing, including new builds and renovations, while ensuring minimal distortion of private markets.
Currently, social housing benefits from a clear and broad exemption under EU State aid rules. In contrast, affordable housing projects that go beyond narrowly defined social criteria face complex procedures, limited aid thresholds, or case-by-case notifications. The revision seeks to simplify rules, introduce a clear definition of affordable housing for State aid purposes, and allow higher or more flexible compensation levels under certain conditions.
The deadline to provide inputs is set on 31 July 2025, via the Commission’s Have Your Say portal.
Contact: Maxime Staelens
On 4 June 2025, the European Commission published a Communication reviewing the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and outlining the next steps to ensure its completion by the end of 2026. With over €335 billion still available and strict legal deadlines in place, the Commission urges Member States to accelerate reforms and investments and to review their national recovery plans accordingly.
Since its launch in 2021, the RRF has disbursed over €315 billion based on the achievement of more than 2,200 milestones and targets. The instrument has supported key structural reforms and investments across Member States, particularly in green and digital transitions. Spillover effects from large Member States' investments have created economic gains across the Single Market, with long-term GDP increases projected in multiple countries.
However, implementation remains uneven and slow in several Member States, raising concerns about underuse. The Commission calls for immediate revision of national plans to ensure that only measures achievable by 31 August 2026 are retained. Guidance also includes ways to repurpose funding through streamlined projects, scaled-up measures, or contributions to EU-level initiatives such as InvestEU and the European Defence Industry Programme.
The Commission emphasises that all payment requests must be submitted by 30 September 2026 and all disbursements made by the end of that year. With just over 450 days remaining, Member States are encouraged to act swiftly to secure full RRF absorption and maximise the impact of this unique EU investment instrument.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
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