Commission presents updated EU Emissions Trading System benchmarks for consultation
The European Commission has today proposed the updated European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) benchmark values for 2026-2030, which will now be open to public and Member State consultation before adoption.
The benchmark update is a key step in determining the level of free allocation of allowances for European industry. With the proposed benchmarks, industry will, on average, continue to receive free allocation covering around 75% of its emissions. The Commission is addressing industry concerns by making full use of the legal flexibilities available. To incentivise industrial electrification, the updated approach maintains coverage of indirect emissions from electricity use across 14 product benchmarks. This leads to higher benchmark values with a financial impact of around pound 4 billion for the 2026-2030 period.
The update to the benchmark values for the period 2026-2030 is required under the ETS Directive. It complements the proposed amendment to the ETS Market Stability Reserve presented on 1 April, which will adapt and better equip the reserve to respond to future market developments, including potential tightness in supply in the coming decades. Together, these measures will help support the competitiveness and decarbonisation of EU industry while further reinforcing the stability and predictability of the EU’s carbon market.
These measures should also be seen in the broader context of the EU ETS review due in July 2026, which aims to ensure that the ETS remains fit for the future and continues to support European industry in its decarbonisation transition.
Under the existing EU ETS, the free allocation of allowances is devised sector by sector based on the performance of the cleanest 10% of producers. All companies receive a level of free allowances, but those emitting more than the benchmark set by the cleanest producers must purchase additional allowances to cover these emissions. In so doing, ETS benchmarks reward the most efficient installations and ensure that free allocation provides a strong incentive to industries that lead the transition.
Next steps
The EU ETS benchmark values for 2026-2030 will be adopted by an implementing act. Following the 4-week public consultation launched today and the scrutiny by EU Member States in the Climate Change Committee, the Commission will adopt the benchmarks. This act is required to allocate free allowances to industry. This allocation is expected shortly after the act’s adoption, currently foreseen at the end of June.
By July 2026, the Commission will review the EU ETS with a view to modernise the system. The Commission has listened carefully to the concerns raised by industry and the sectors most affected. In response, it will propose the introduction of sector-specific fallback benchmarks as part of the upcoming EU ETS revision. This would be implemented through a specific empowerment allowing the Commission to define such sector-specific fallback benchmarks and establish a methodology for determining the respective benchmark values. To provide timely and effective support to the sectors concerned, the revised methodology should become applicable as early as possible.
In March 2026, President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced an ETS investment booster, with a budget of pound 30 billion financed by 400 million ETS allowances. The aim of the booster is to finance projects for decarbonisation. In designing it, the Commission will build on the experience gained through the industrial heat decarbonisation auction by facilitating access for small and medium enterprises and by targeting certain industrial processes, such as heat at different temperature levels, where tailored decarbonisation pathways are needed.
Background
The EU ETS benchmarks are calculated based on the performance of the most efficient installations and updated regularly to reflect technological progress.
The revised values are derived from data submitted by Member States in 2024 under the National Implementation Measures (NIMs) process and assessed by the Commission. In line with the ETS Directive, benchmark reductions are determined within a defined range based on observed performance improvements across sectors.
The EU ETS is a key driver for decarbonisation. It has massively reduced fossil fuel consumption, lowering the Union’s dependence on imports and strengthening its resilience. In addition, it has driven major investments in the clean energy transition in renewables and low-carbon energy sources. These are homegrown and enhance our energy independence.
For more information
Questions and answers
Feedback to EU ETS benchmark values for 2026-2030 (link to implementing act)
EU Emissions Trading System
ETS Benchmarks
Quote(s)
Today, we deliver on the commitment made by President Ursula von der Leyen to reinforce Europe’s carbon market. Strengthening the Market Stability Reserve as proposed on 1 April will improve resilience to volatility, while updating the benchmarks further incentivises investments into the clean transition. This ensures the EU ETS continues to drive decarbonisation, competitiveness and clean investment.
Wopke Hoekstra, Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth
(For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Ana Crespo Parrondo – Tel.: +32 2 298 13 25)
EU will provide pound 20 million in humanitarian aid for vulnerable refugees and host communities in Trkiye in 2026
The European Union has allocated pound 20 million in humanitarian aid to support the most vulnerable refugees and host communities in Trkiye in 2026. Trkiye continues to host around 2,3 million registered refugees, primarily from Syria, as well as from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, remaining one the largest refugee-hosting country in the world. While many refugees have access to basic services, hundreds of thousands still face significant barriers due to socio-economic vulnerability, limited access to national systems, and the lingering impact of the 2023 earthquakes.
The EU’s humanitarian assistance in 2026 will prioritise the most at-risk groups, including those with limited or no access to essential services. Funding will focus on protection, basic needs assistance, health and education, while complementing longer-term EU support aimed at fostering self-reliance and inclusion in national systems.
The funding will be implemented through EU humanitarian partners, working in close coordination with national authorities, to address urgent needs including protection, healthcare, and education in emergencies.
Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said: “The EU continues to support people in need in Trkiye with strong humanitarian assistance. And we are not forgetting communities hosting refugees. They cannot bear this weight alone. Since 2012, the EU has provided more than pound 3.5 billion in humanitarian aid in the country, supporting a wide range of programmes delivered by our humanitarian partners. With this new pound 20 million in funding, we renew our humanitarian support to continue providing life-saving assistance, helping the most vulnerable access essential services, and maintain their dignity.’
More information is available online.
(For more information: Eva Hrncírová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Quentin Cortès – Tel.: +32 2 296 47 35)
New legislation enters into force to strengthen protection of water in the EU
Today, the Directive revising rules for surface and groundwaters entered into force – an important step to make the EU more water-resilient and reduce water pollution. This revision, proposed by the European Commission in 2022, ensures that the lists of water pollutants will be aligned with the latest scientific advice, and that new substances will be monitored and more strictly controlled in surface waters and groundwater. Three pieces of EU legislation will be adapted accordingly: the Water Framework Directive, the Environmental Quality Standards Directive, and the Groundwater Directive.
The updated lists cover certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, known as ‘forever chemicals’), pesticides, and pharmaceuticals – all of them with well-documented harmful effects on the environment or human health. For the first time, microplastics will also be addressed, as well as indicators of antimicrobial resistance, and sensitive groundwater ecosystems.
The revision also reduces administrative burden for Member States by streamlining reporting requirements and making it easier to share monitoring data between Member States and the Commission through digital tools. The new rules also strengthen transboundary cooperation, ensuring mandatory downstream river basin warnings after incidents.
The new law incorporates a definition of non-deterioration and adds the possibility for two types of activity to go ahead subject to strict safeguards. These activities include improvement works such as bridge reconstruction or flood-protection works that might only have temporary impacts, and activities merely relocating pollution, without actually increasing it, such as in the context of dewatering for the purpose of construction, or the dredging of sediments.
Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, said: ‘The revised water law will help reduce pollution in our waters from PFAS, pesticides and other harmful chemicals. This is exactly what we set out to do in the European Water Resilience Strategy – to make Europe more resilient in terms of water. Clean water matters for people’s health, for our environment, and for our economy. It is one of the smartest investments we can make, and it will pay off many times over.’
Member States will need to implement the requirements and transpose the amendments to the three relevant Directives by 22 December 2027.
You can find more information on the revised rules online.
(For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Maëlys Dreux – Tel.: +32 2 295 46 73)
EU coordinates international support for the recovery of Syria’s economy and reconstruction process
The European Commission, together with the Syrian Transitional Authorities, hosted today the Syria Partnership Coordination Forum in Brussels. This meeting further delivered on the main commitments of the Forum: coordinating and aligning all international efforts on aid, reconstruction, and development with Syria’s recovery priorities.
After years of devastation under the Assad regime, Syria’s socio-economic recovery and reconstruction needs are immense. The EU continues to use its expertise and convening power to support Syria in reviving its economy and bringing communities back together. Today’s meeting offered concrete steps towards these objectives. The Forum, co-chaired by Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica and the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, brought together representatives from Member States, partner countries, the United Nations, and major financial organisations.
The meeting reaffirmed the EU’s unwavering commitment to a genuinely inclusive and peaceful transition, prioritising the needs and aspirations of all Syrians, to secure a stable, prosperous future for the country and the wider region.
Steps towards recovery
The EU is working on setting up a pound 15 million ‘Technical Assistance Hub’ – a flagship Team Europe initiative designed to strengthen the capacities of Syrian institutions. This will serve as an entry point for the Syrian authorities to get technical expertise from the EU and partners. Concretely, by uniting the Commission and key development agencies, the Hub will increase coordination among international partners. It is designed to strengthen Syria’s public institutions, foster sustainable socio-economic recovery, and improve public service delivery.
The EU and Syria agreed to continue exploring ways to boost private sector growth, strengthen business environment, improve access to finance – key steps to fostering sustainable investment and trade.
Commissioner Šuica announced an EU contribution of pound 14 million for the rehabilitation of the Al-Rastan Hospital in Homs. This important project will help restore access to quality healthcare for Syrians. Additionally, a Team Europe Initiative on Health was also launched to restore one of Syria’s key hospitals. These initiatives form part of the socio-economic recovery package of pound 175 million announced by Commissioner Šuica during her visit to Damascus in June 2025. The EU is also working on an additional pound 280 million for 2026 and 2027.
Continued political engagement
In this context, the first EU-Syria High Level Political Dialogue also takes place today. The dialogue is an opportunity to discuss best avenues for bilateral cooperation and EU support for a genuinely inclusive political transition in Syria as well as socio-economic recovery and long-term reconstruction.
Today’s events mark a strategic shift in the EU-Syria relations, moving from a crisis response to a long-term partnership built on a shared vision for stability, recovery, and prosperity.
Background
As the recent visit of President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Costa to Damascus in January highlighted that the EU sees Syria opening a path to reconciliation and recovery. The EU is ready to support it with a new framework of cooperation.
The European Union and Syrian Transitional Authorities have begun laying the groundwork for reintegration into the Euro-Mediterranean space.
Since 2011, the EU and its Member States have stood by the Syrian people, delivering over pound 41 billion in humanitarian, development, and stabilisation assistance: the largest contribution by any donor. This support has reached Syrians both inside the country and across the region, helping to alleviate the devastating impact of conflict and displacement.
Since 2017, the EU fronted these efforts by convening nine international donor conferences in Brussels.
After the fall of the Assad regime, the EU continues to stand by the Syrian people. In May 2025, the EU lifted all remaining economic sanctions, paving the way for renewed engagement. In 2025, the EU adopted a first package to support Syria’s socio-economic recovery of pound 175 million to assist the country in securing its future.
For 2026-2027, the EU has allocated a new pound 620 million package, blending socio-economic recovery programmes with vital humanitarian aid to deliver tangible progress where it is needed most. More recently the Commission has proposed resuming the suspended EU-Syria Cooperation Agreement to restore trade preferences and support Syria’s economic and social development.
For more information
EU support to Syria – factsheet (will be available soon)
The EU announces pound 175 million to support recovery in Syria
EU opens new chapter in its relations with Syria
Quote(s)
Today marks a turning point in EU-Syria relations. For over a decade, the EU and its Member States have stood resolutely by the Syrian people, delivering more than pound 41 billion in critical assistance. Now, it is time to move from crisis to socio-economic recovery and reconstruction. This engagement is about rebuilding trust, fostering resilience, and placing the aspirations of the Syrian people at the heart of their country’s future. The EU remains fully committed to collaborating with Syrian authorities to turn the page on conflict and partner for a stable, prosperous, and genuinely inclusive Syria for all.
Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner for the Mediterranean
(For more information: Guillaume Mercier – Tel.: +32 2 298 05 64; Luca Dilda – Tel.: +32 2 295 21 53)
Commission seeks views on the EU Anti-corruption Strategy
Today, the European Commission launched an open public consultation and a call for evidence to gather feedback for the upcoming EU Anti-corruption Strategy. The feedback will help shape a reinforced approach to preventing and combating corruption across the Union.
The EU has already established a strong framework to combat fraud and corruption. This includes legislation on the protection of the EU’s financial interests, anti-money laundering, whistleblower protection, public procurement, and asset recovery and confiscation. Earlier this year, the EU adopted a new Directive on combating corruption, introducing stronger rules and harmonised penalties for corruption offences, as well as measures to prevent corruption and render investigations and prosecution more effective. The EU also supports its Member States in making their national anti-corruption frameworks more robust. The recommendations issued in the Rule of Law Report and the reform commitments reflected in concrete milestones in the Recovery and Resilience Facility have supported important reforms at national level. The Strategy will aim at further strengthening the coordination of anti-corruption efforts in the EU.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, said: ‘Corruption erodes democratic institutions and undermines competitiveness that drives innovation and prosperity. This consultation and the future Strategy will strengthen our collective commitment to safeguarding democratic integrity, ensuring a level playing field for businesses, and protecting public interest and the rule of law. There is no room for corruption in Europe.’
Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, said: ‘Corruption undermines the principles on which our societies are built. It quietly erodes trust in public institutions, distorts fair competition, and weakens the democratic fabric of our Union. As corruption becomes more sophisticated and increasingly cross-border, Europe must respond with equal determination and unity. By working together at EU level, we can strengthen prevention, support effective enforcement, and reinforce the rule of law across the EU. We now invite stakeholders to help shape a Strategy fit for today’s challenges.’
The Strategy will complement a broader set of existing tools, including the EU Network against Corruption, the review of the EU Anti-Fraud Architecture, the Conditionality Regulation, and the European Democracy Shield. It will build on the annual Rule of Law cycle, which monitors developments in Member States and assesses the effectiveness of national anti-corruption frameworks.
Both the public consultation and the call for evidence will run for 8 weeks, until 6 July 2026. More information on how to participate is available online.
(For more information: Markus Lammert – Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Antoine Lomba – Tel.: +32 2 299 32 33)
Commission marks 20 years of political dialogue with national parliaments
Today, the European Commission marks 20 years since the launch of its Political Dialogue with national Parliaments. This dialogue is a central channel for exchanges between the Commission and national parliaments across the European Union. It enables written exchanges between national parliaments and the Commission on its initiatives. Over the past two decades, the Commission has received more than 8,000 opinions from national Parliaments, while Members of the Commission have held around 2,400 visits and meetings with national Parliaments resulting in a clear strengthening of mutual understanding.
Maroš Šefcovic, Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security; Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency, said: ‘The numbers speak for themselves. Therefore, the Political Dialogue remains a vital channel connecting EU policymaking with national democratic life, helping shape policies with real impact across Europe – at a time when engagement and cooperation have never been more important in an increasingly uncertain world.’
More information on the Political Dialogue with national parliaments can be found online.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Antoine Lomba – Tel.: +32 2 299 32 33)
Commission reinforces resilience of money market funds with new guidance
The EU’s regulatory framework for money market funds (MMFs) continues to function well overall, according to a European Commission report published today. The report finds that the market would benefit from additional guidance, which the Commission has issued alongside the report in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
MMFs play an important role in the economy by providing short-term funding to businesses and governments. These funds invest in high-quality short-term debt instruments and cash equivalents, enabling companies to manage large cash balances. The sector has grown significantly in recent years, and the EU is now a leading global destination for MMF investors.
Today’s report provides, alongside the FAQs, key additional guidance and aims to support more consistent and well-calibrated supervision of MMFs across the EU, strengthening the resilience of the sector. This will help MMF managers and competent authorities to identify situations that may require closer scrutiny, reducing the risk of contagion to the EU financial system and wider economy.
The EU’s MMF regulatory framework is in application since 2018. The Commission’s first report, published in 2023, found the framework had performed well over time, including during market stress, while noting that certain areas warranted further assessment.
Building on those conclusions, today’s analysis confirms that MMFs generally take a cautious approach, keeping liquidity reserves above the regulatory minimum.
The FAQs provide guidance on MMFs’ minimum liquidity levels and on how liquidity buffers may be used, particularly to meet rising redemption requests during times of market stress.
Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque said: ‘Today we are providing clearer guidance on how money market funds should maintain and use liquidity buffers, particularly in times of market stress. This will support consistent supervision and further strengthen the resilience of money market funds, helping safeguard financial stability.’
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Saul Louis Goulding – Tel.: +32 2 296 47 35)
Commission invites comments on draft revised State aid rules for air transport
The European Commission has today launched a public consultation inviting all interested parties to comment on its draft revised Guidelines on State aid to the air transport sector. These will replace the existing Guidelines, which were adopted in 2014. Interested parties are invited to respond to the public consultation by 11 June 2026.
The new Guidelines
The 2014 Aviation Guidelines set out the conditions under which certain State support for airlines and airports can be declared in line with EU rules, on the basis of Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (‘TFEU’).
The draft revised Guidelines update this framework, as the sector has undergone significant transformation since 2014. Continued growth, ambitious decarbonisation targets and challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis all call for a modernised approach to State aid rules in the aviation industry.
The draft revised Guidelines will be complemented by other State aid rules, including the new General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), set for adoption by the end of 2026.
The proposed changes bring several key updates reflecting developments since 2014. They concern the following types of aid:
Operating aid to airports:
Operating aid will be possible for airports with fewer than one million yearly passengers. Airports with more passengers are expected to cover their own operating costs.
Airports with up to 500,000 yearly passengers are generally not expected to be viable without public support, but account only for a small share of passenger traffic within the EU, so usually have a limited effect on competition. Against this backdrop, the Commission proposes to block-exempt operating aid for airports with up to 500,000 yearly passengers under the new GBER that is set for adoption in 2026.
Airports between 500,000 and one million yearly passengers often still have significantly lower traffic levels than before the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Commission considers that they are large enough to be profitable, it recognises that due to the external shocks in recent years they might require more time to become profitable. The Commission therefore considers it justified to allow operating aid to airports with up to 1 million yearly passengers for a transitional five-year period.
Investment aid would be possible for airports with up to three million yearly passengers, instead of up to five million yearly passengers, as in the 2014 Aviation Guidelines and subject to green conditionality when new capacity is created.
A revision and simplification of the analysis of potentially distortive effects of State aid on neighbouring airports, which is part of the assessment when aid is notified. This analysis would cover effects of State aid in a larger geographic area around the airport receiving the aid, than under the 2014 rules. The analysis itself is also streamlined to allow for a more straightforward assessment.
Start-up aid to launch new routes will no longer be allowed. Start-up aid as provided for in the 2014 Aviation Guidelines was very rarely used. The air transport sector opened many new routes without having to rely on it. In a fully EU liberalised air transport market, air carriers are expected to shoulder the risk of opening new routes.
The Commission notes that under the European Green Deal, the transport sector is expected to reduce its emissions by 90% by 2050 and the air transport sector needs to contribute to that reduction. To that end, the air transport sector can benefit from specific State aid measures for decarbonisation, available in the existing rules such as the Climate, Energy and Environmental Aid Guidelines, the upcoming new GBER and the Clean Industrial Deal State aid Framework. To clarify how these rules apply to air transport, the Commission will publish a dedicated guidance paper together with the final revised Guidelines.
Background
The draft follows the conclusions of the 2020 Fitness Check, which identified the need to update the framework in light of market developments, reliance on public funding by regional airports, and evolving EU policy priorities, notably the European Green Deal. The Commission launched a Call for Evidence in August 2024 to gather stakeholder input on current rules and the need for revision, including simplification, alignment with environmental objectives, and adaptation to changes in the air transport sector. This consultation phase was complemented by a public consultation, launched in December 2024, and a dedicated external study.
Next steps
In addition to the public consultation launched today, the draft revised Guidelines will be discussed in a multilateral meeting between the Commission and the Member States.
The adoption of the revised Guidelines is planned for the first quarter of 2027.
Quote(s)
Our proposed new State aid rules for the aviation sector strike the right balance between maintaining airports for regional connectivity and driving the sector toward a sustainable and greener future. Today’s proposal ensures that public funding is directed where it is most needed while ensuring a level playing field in the Single Market. We encourage all interested parties to share their views.
Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 47 74)
Executive Vice-President Virkkunen hosts Twin It! event celebrating digitisation of cultural heritage
The Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, alongside Cyprus’ Deputy Minister of culture, Vasiliki Kassiandou, on behalf of the Council of the EU, will host Twin It! II event to close the two-part campaign and showcase the achievements in digitisation to preserve cultural heritage across the EU.
The event will present high-quality 3D models and demonstrate the potential of 3D digitisation, particularly in culture. The collection of detailed information about digitised assets contributes to richer, more dynamic and multidimensional representations of heritage assets. Capturing the historical context and stories of cultural assets will unlock greater potential for reuse, including in extended reality experiences.
Twin it! II builds on a first phase of the campaign, which produced 37 high-quality 3D models representing buildings, sites and objects from every EU Member State.
Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen said: ‘Digitisation means preserving, protecting and sharing our cultural heritage. Artificial intelligence and open data innovation can fuel creativity and curiosity across sectors from education, tourism and entertainment.’
The European Commission has proposed a strategy for a Common European Data Space for Cultural Heritage, setting out guidelines for Member States to improve data sharing, increase reuse, and empower specialists in the field of cultural heritage preservation and digitisation.