Today, the European Commission proposed to Member States authorising the opening of negotiations with Ukraine on its participation in the Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM) component of the European Union Space programme and the Union Secure Connectivity Programme. GOVSATCOM is designed to provide secure and resilient satellite communication capabilities by pooling and sharing existing satellite resources from Member States and private operators. Strengthening collaboration in GOVSATCOM component is the next step of advancing Ukraine’s participation in EU Space Programme. A first step was made in April 2025, when the EU and Ukraine signed an agreement on Ukraine’s participation in Copernicus, Space Weather Events and Near-Earth Objects components of the EU Space Programme.
This initiative adds to the EU’s wider investment in sovereign space capabilities, including IRIS², which will be deployed by 2030 to provide secure, resilient communications across Europe and beyond. It is also in line with the EU’s ongoing support for Ukraine through instruments such as SAFE.
This future agreement will strengthen the resilience of the EU’s connectivity infrastructure by providing additional secure communications capacity in a strategically important region. It also supports broader EU objectives under the Global Gateway strategy and the White Paper on European Defence Readiness 2030. Negotiations mark another step in deepening the EU-Ukraine partnership in areas essential to Europe’s security and stability.
Ukraine’s participation will be confirmed upon the conclusion of an international agreement under Article 218 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy said: ‘Secure connectivity is essential for Europe’s resilience. By deepening our cooperation with Ukraine, we strengthen our shared security and our ability to act in a rapidly changing world.’
Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space said: ‘Ukraine’s participation will reinforce Europe’s secure space capabilities at a critical moment. This is a decisive step toward a stronger, more united Europe that can protect its citizens on the ground and in space.’
(For more information: Thomas Regnier +32 2 299 10 99, Marine Strauss +32 298 91 03)
European Commission announces launch of Critical Chemicals Alliance to strengthen Europe’s chemical sector
The European Commission launches today the Critical Chemicals Alliance. The Alliance stems directly from the Chemicals Action Plan adopted in July 2025, which aims to boost the competitiveness, resilience and sustainability of Europe’s chemical industry. The Alliance will hold its first General Assembly in the presence of Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, Stéphane Séjourné, at a date that will be announced later.
The Critical Chemicals Alliance is designed to address key challenges facing the sector – including the risk of plant closures, trade disruptions, and the urgent need for investment in critical production capacities.
Among its first deliverables, the Alliance will:
Establish criteria to identify critical chemical productions and molecules that are essential for the EU economy and strategic sectors;
Map these critical molecules to enable enhanced trade monitoring and early-warning functions, including through the EU Customs Surveillance System;
Support coordinated investments by aligning EU and national funding tools and helping Member States and industry to target key projects.
The Alliance is open to all organisations active in the chemical industry, including companies, associations, investors, research bodies and civil society. Interested organisations can apply online by signing the Alliance’s Declaration, committing to actively contribute to its objectives.
All members may participate in the General Assembly, which will meet at least twice a year to set priorities and adopt the Alliance’s opinions and recommendations. A Steering Board will coordinate the Alliance’s work and define its deliverables, while expert working groups will focus on specific thematic areas such as trade resilience, innovation, and sustainable production.
(For more information: Thomas Regnier – Tel.: +32 2 299 10 99; Rya Perincek – Tel: +32 460 76 25 10)
Eurobarometer: Europeans embrace the social economy and call for more support
A new Special Eurobarometer published today shows that 75% of Europeans recognise the importance of the social economy for society’s well-being. Social economy organisations prioritise people, communities and the environment and play a crucial role in tackling societal challenges.
A significant majority endorse further support to the social economy, including through support to social economy organisations (88%), awareness-raising (86%), assistance to set up social economy organisations (86%), and direct public financial support (80%). In addition, a significant number of Europeans (93%) think that businesses should be guided by social economy values, focusing on social and environmental goals, redistributing profits, and operating with democratic governance structures.
The results show half of Europeans have engaged with the social economy in the past five years, usually through activities such as volunteering (18%), donations (18%), and as customers (15%). In addition, one in three Europeans receive help from the social economy in areas like education, training, and housing.
Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu, said: ‘The social economy is part of the daily lives of Europeans. It employs more than 11.5 million people and tackles key social challenges while prioritising people and the planet. We will announce new measures to strengthen Europe’s social economy in the mid-term review of our Action Plan next year.’
An infographic summarising the key results of the survey is available, along with the full report. Factsheets with more details per Member State are equally available.
(For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Eirini Zarkadoula – Tel.: +32 460 76 57 13)
Commission to discuss sanctions implementation with Member States and international partners
Today the Commission is hosting the eighth meeting of the ‘High-Level Group on Union Restrictive Measures’, i.e. sanctions. The meeting will bring together high-level Commission officials and representatives from EU Member States to discuss enhanced coordination in sanctions implementation and enforcement.
The EU remains united and determined in its support for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, successive packages of sanctions have led to significant decoupling, and imposed real costs on Russia’s economy. EU trade with Russia has been severely curtailed: 74% of pre-war EU imports from Russia (pound 106 billion) and 58% of pre-war EU exports (pound 48 billion) to Russia (both in 2021 terms) have been eliminated. Beyond that, even in areas not yet subject to sanctions, Russia’s war has triggered a tangible downturn in trade and further decoupling. As a result, in 2024, overall EU imports were down 77% and EU exports down 65% as compared to 2021. Revenues for Russia from oil exports to Europe have gone down by 90% over the past three years. Russia’s GDP growth is predicted to fall further in 2025 to 0.6% while its fiscal position is deteriorating visibly, with interest rates at 17% and inflation around 8%. Finally, with the 18th and 19th sanctions packages, the EU has further tightened restrictions on Russia’s energy revenues and stepped up the fight against the shadow fleet. So far, 557 vessels have been listed, and Russian crude oil deliveries via these vessels have decreased by 76% since the listings began.
As implementation is key for sanctions effectiveness, enforcement issues will be at the centre of today’s discussions. Member States will share enforcement ‘success stories’ and share ideas on how to tackle new trends emerging in sanctions circumvention. Joint work is key to ensure measures are not jeopardised by the malicious attempts of enablers and profiteers of Russia’s war of aggression.
In the afternoon, EU Sanctions Envoy David O’Sullivan will convene the sixth Sanctions Coordinators Forum, gathering Member States and international partners including the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, as well as Ukraine. Discussions will focus on common efforts to continue to fight circumvention, for instance through third country financial institutions and crypto channels. Careful cooperation between the EU and key partners is essential to ensure that sanctions policies, implementation, and enforcement efforts are mutually reinforcing. This is why the EU brings together a broad coalition of countries to align with its measures in this important bi-annual event.
(For more information: Olof Gill – Tel.: +32 2 296 59 66; Saul Goulding – Tel.: +32 2 296 47 35)
Statement by President von der Leyen at the 77th session of the Nordic Council
Thank you for inviting me to this meeting of the Nordic Council.
I think of the Nordic countries as the Polaris of Europe, or North Star of Europe. Because very often, you show the way.
First, on readiness and preparedness. I think we can all agree, no one does it like you do. In the North, readiness runs through society. From the shelters of Helsinki to the Cadet Academy in Copenhagen, I have seen it for myself. Just last week in the European Council, we decided to move forward on Europe’s Roadmap to Defence Readiness by 2030. After that, we discussed how to maintain our strong support to Ukraine. Your support and your experience will be essential – it has always been! – in reaching our goals. From monitoring the Arctic in the North to deterring a rogue neighbour in the East – it will serve as a guide for all of Europe.
My second point is on competitiveness. Over dinner with business leaders in Sweden yesterday, I heard a lot of inspiring stories. Because here, excellence is the norm. But I was just as interested in the challenges as I was in the progress that has been shown. We know what hinders competitiveness in the Europe Union. There is a clear lack of access to capital for scale-ups. There is red tape. Permits take too long. A fragmented Single Market. And high energy costs. We are working very hard on all these topics across all strands to simplify, clarify and accelerate. Here our guiding star is the Draghi report. And together we are preparing our clean tech future. Here again, look at the Nordics. Not long ago, your region depended heavily on fossil fuels. Today 99% of Sweden’s electricity is coming from renewables and nuclear. That is a lesson for all of Europe: You stayed focused. You stayed the course on the target of climate neutrality – but you are flexible on the way to get there. And then you succeed. You have turned the climate debate and the competitiveness debate into one, and that is the right way to go. Because clean tech is where smart money goes. We want the future of clean tech to be made here in Europe. And for this, we must retain our industries, our talents, our jobs. In a world of fierce, often unfair competition, we must support more clean products ‘made in Europe’. Strengthen key sectors, from cars to batteries. And secure access to critical raw materials, with our new RESourcEU plan. That is the goal. And we will stay firmly focused on it.
Thank you.
Video message by President von der Leyen at the 4th Cancer Survivors Congress ‘Full of Life’
Dear Sandra Ibarra,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Few moments are as life-changing as hearing the words ‘cancer free’. You know it well. I know it too. As a medical student, I spent countless nights on duty in the pediatric oncology ward. I will never forget a young girl I met there. This small, resilient girl beat cancer. And today, she is living a full, healthy life.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Too many still suffer the cruelty of this disease. Every year, around 2.7 million people in the European Union are diagnosed with cancer. And prevalence is increasing. That is why we have placed the Beating Cancer Plan at the very heart of our European Health Union, backed by 4 billion pound from the EU4Health programme. To support patients and their families at every stage of this difficult journey. To prevent cancer, to detect it early, to improve diagnostics and treatments.
The good news is that today, more people are surviving cancer than ever before. And we must help them live beyond it. That is why we have built a Europe-wide network of young cancer patients and survivors. Because for young people, this battle is often particularly hard. And it cannot be that former cancer patients pay higher insurance premiums. Or struggle to get mortgages. That is why the right to be forgotten is so important. I welcome the progress made by our member states on this. And we will not relent in our efforts at the EU level. To support patients and families through the disease. And to support survivors through the rest of their lives.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
That is what this Congress is about. Ensuring that all patients and all survivors can live their lives to the fullest. Lives of dignity, joy and opportunity. I thank you for this vital work. And I wish you a successful and inspiring congress.