Commission starts enforcing AI Act rules and new transparency requirements on 2 August
From 2 August 2026, the European Commission’s AI Office, together with national authorities, will begin enforcing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act. On the same date, new transparency rules will start to apply, requiring certain AI systems to tell users when they are interacting with AI and when content has been generated or altered by it.
Under the new rules, chatbots and other interactive AI systems will have to tell users they are dealing with AI, not a human. Deepfakes (images, videos, or audio that have been edited or generated using AI) will have to be labelled. AI-generated or altered content will also have to carry machine-readable marks so it can be detected more easily.
The measures are intended to reduce deception and manipulation and help people make informed choices. They also give businesses clearer obligations and a practical way to show compliance. The Commission published today a first list of more than 180 organisations that have signed the Code of Practice on transparency of AI-generated content that operationalises the rules on transparency of AI-generated content.
As AI grows increasingly capable and integrated into everyday life, the AI Act helps ensure that AI is developed, deployed, and used safely, giving people and businesses across the EU greater confidence in the technology.
More information is available in our press release.
(For more information: Thomas Regnier – Tel. + 32 2 299 10 99; Nika Blazevic – Tel. + 32 2 299 27 17)
EU adopted support measures for farmers facing fertiliser crisis
Today, the European Commission adopted measures to help farmers facing sharply rising fertiliser costs and to support Europe’s food security. In recent months, geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions have pushed prices of fertilisers up across Europe. Targeted adjustments to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will enable Member States to provide farmers with faster and more flexible support to access fertilisers.
These measures include three main elements. Firstly, a new liquidity scheme under rural development for crisis support, which can be co-financed up to 65% from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). It can include unused funds that may otherwise be lost and Member States may add national financing of up to 200%. To ensure rapid delivery and minimise administrative burdens, support can be paid as a fixed amount per hectare and implemented through the CAP Strategic Plans. Secondly, Member States will have the possibility to provide advanced direct payments to farmers before 16 October with an increased rate of advances, helping them to improve cash flow. Finally, Member States will have further flexibility in addressing the impact of the high fertiliser prices, by adjusting their allocations for direct payments for calendar year 2027.
These measures complement the exceptional financial support package of pound 540 million announced in the Fertilisers Action Plan and adopted on 27 July. The Commission will continue to deliver on the Plan to reduce farmers’ exposure to future crises and, through these actions, strengthen EU food security, strategic autonomy and competitiveness.
(For more information: Louise Bogey – Tel.: +32 2 296 97 76; Katerina Horáková – Tel.: +32 2 299 93 10)
New rights making it easier to repair goods are now applicable
The Right to Repair Directive, which entered into force in July 2024, encourages sustainable consumption by making it easier to repair products instead of replacing them. As of today, the Directive becomes applicable. The Directive will help consumers save money, reduce waste, extend the lifecycle of their products, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the Directive, consumers can request that their broken products be repaired such as smartphones, washing machines, or refrigerators, even if the legal guarantee has expired.
Manufacturers will have to offer these repairs at a reasonable price and within a reasonable timeframe. They must also provide clear information on their websites about their repair services and indicative prices. They will not be allowed to refuse repair or use practices that prevent it or deter consumers from availing of it. They will also need to make spare parts accessible and affordable.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, said: ‘Europe should not become a continent that throws technology away. The future is smart, repairable, and circular. By making repair easier, we support innovation, strengthen European industry and reduce our dependence on imported raw materials.’
Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, said: ‘Choosing to repair a product rather than replace it means choosing affordability, circularity, and competitiveness. The Right to Repair Directive delivers on all three. Its full application across the EU will make a real difference for consumers, the environment, and small businesses, while helping us deliver on our ambition for a clean, competitive European economy.”
Member States have to encourage repairs, for example through vouchers or repair funds. The Commission is also currently developing a new European online repair platform, for consumers to easily find repair services near them.
More information is available online.
(For more information: Guillaume Mercier – Tel.: +32 2 298 05 64; Antoine Lomba – Tel.: +32 2 299 32 33)
Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, and Slovenia receive more than 1.86 billion under NextGenerationEU
The European Commission has disbursed today more than pound 1.86 billion to Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, and Slovenia under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU.
These payments reflect the successful fulfilment of key milestones and targets linked to reforms and investments set out in the four Member States’ national recovery and resilience plans. They underscore the performance-based nature of the RRF, under which funds are disbursed only once agreed reform and investment commitments have been satisfactorily completed.
The Commission disbursed pound 567 million to Belgium, pound 896 million to Bulgaria, pound 359 million to Denmark – marking the completion of all disbursements under its national recovery and resilience plan – and pound 41 million to Slovenia, following the latest pay requests of each country and the respective fulfilment of the necessary milestones and targets under their national recovery and resilience plans.
With a view to the closure of the Facility at the end of 2026, Member States must implement all outstanding milestones and targets by August 2026 and submit their last payment requests by the end of September 2026.
A press release with more details is available online.
(For further information: Maciej Berestecki – Tel.: +32 2 296 64 83; Anna Wartberger – Tel.: +32 2 298 20 54)
Commission sends Statement of Grounds to Temu over possible obstruction of inspection under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation
The European Commission has sent a Statement of Grounds to Temu’s owner PDD Holdings Inc. (‘PDD’) and its subsidiary WhaleCo Technology Limited (‘Whaleco’), outlining concerns that they may have obstructed an inspection at WhaleCo’s premises in Ireland.
The Statement of Grounds follows an unannounced inspection under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (‘FSR’), carried out between 2 and 5 December 2025. The Commission conducted the inspections following indications that Temu may have received foreign subsidies that distort the internal market. The aim of the inspection was to gather evidence in support of its investigation into potentially distortive foreign subsidies granted to Temu.
In particular, the Commission preliminarily considers that Temu failed to comply with several basic requests made by the Commission in the exercise of its investigative powers under the FSR. Among other things, those requests concerned the provision of information on the organisation and management of Temu’s activities in the EU and the IT tools and systems used by the company for its activities in the EU, as well as to the provision of specific books and records on the company’s activities in the EU. Such requests are customary in a competition investigation and are typically made at the early stages of the inspection. Not providing the information prevented the Commission from reviewing sources of information that could be relevant for its investigation.
A press release is available online.
(For more information: Siobhan McGarry- Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschtz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83)
Commission approves pound 290 million Dutch State aid to support sustainable aviation fuels
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, two Dutch schemes with a combined budget of pound 290 million to support sustainable aviation fuels (‘SAF’). The schemes will contribute to the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal to accelerate the decarbonisation of EU industry, as well as of the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation to boost the supply and demand of SAF and accelerate the transition to climate-neutral aviation.
The schemes will provide support to two promising technology pathways: advanced bio-SAF not produced through the Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids process (‘non-HEFA advanced bio-SAF’), and synthetic aviation fuels (‘e-SAF’). The Netherlands believes that supporting these two types of SAF now will assist their commercial development, fostering technological diversity in the future.
Under the schemes, the aid will take the form of direct grants payable upon the completion of project milestones. The schemes will cover the period from 2027 until 2031 at the latest.
The Commission assessed the schemes under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which enables Member States to support the development of certain economic activities under certain conditions, the 2022 Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy, and the 2025 Clean Industrial Deal State aid Framework.
In particular, the Commission found that the schemes are necessary and appropriate to facilitate the production of SAF, have an incentive effect and limited impact on competition and trade. The aid will also bring about positive effects and proportionality will be ensured
A press release is available online.
(For more information: Siobhan McGarry- Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschtz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83)
Commission approves pound 59 million Slovenian State aid scheme to promote battery energy storage systems
The European Commission has approved a pound 59 million Slovenian State aid scheme to promote battery energy storage systems, in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal. This measure will contribute to the transition towards a net-zero economy. The scheme was approved under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) adopted by the Commission on 25 June 2025.
The scheme will be financed by the Just Transition Fund and the ETS Modernisation Fund. Under the scheme, the aid will be granted before 31 December 2030 and it will take the form of direct grants for the construction of new stand-alone battery electricity storage systems. The aid amount will be set by Slovenia based on the investment costs of each project.
The Commission concluded that the Slovenian scheme is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to accelerate the transition towards a net-zero economy and facilitate the development of certain economic activities, which are of importance for the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal. This is in line with Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU and the conditions set out in the CISAF.
Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, said: ‘With this pound 59 million scheme, Slovenia is accelerating the deployment of storage technologies. More storage capacity will enable better integration of the renewable energy sources in the power system and help ensure security of electricity supply for Slovenians.”
A press release is available online.
(For more information: Siobhan McGarry- Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschtz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83)
Commission approves amendment of Spanish State aid scheme to support energy-intensive companies
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, the amendment of a Spanish support scheme for energy-intensive companies in the form of electricity levy reductions.
The scheme was originally approved by the Commission in March 2023. Under the scheme, the aid is granted in the form of reductions of certain electricity consumption levies for energy-intensive companies. The objective of the scheme is to mitigate the risk that, due to these levies, energy-intensive companies may relocate their activities to locations outside the EU with less ambitious climate policies.
Spain notified the Commission of its intention to extend the scope of the scheme to include a reduction in the contribution for energy-intensive companies that arises from the National System of Energy Efficiency Obligations, which aims to achieve Spain’s energy efficiency targets. The amendment leads to a budget increase of pound 50 million over the duration of the scheme, bringing the total budget of the scheme to pound 446 million.
The Commission assessed the amended scheme under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which enables Member States to support economic activities under certain conditions, and the 2022 Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy (‘CEEAG’), which allow Member States to grant aid in the form of reductions from electricity levies for energy-intensive users.
The Commission found that the amended scheme facilitates the development of economic activities that rely heavily on electricity and are particularly exposed to international competition. In addition, the scheme remains necessary and appropriate to contribute to achieving the Clean Industrial Deal objectives. Moreover, the scheme continues to be proportionate, as the individual aid amounts comply with the CEEAG conditions and the scheme is limited to sectors listed in the CEEAG. The Commission also concluded that the positive effects of the scheme outweigh any possible negative effects on competition and trade in the EU. On this basis, the Commission approved the amendment under EU State aid rules.
The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the number SA.123095 in the State aid register on the Commission’s competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.