The European Commission and the European University Institute are launching the Energy Regulation Academy (EnRA), a new EU-funded initiative designed to help national authorities translate electricity market reforms into practical results across all Member States.
The Academy aims to strengthen the workforce and institutions responsible for implementing energy rules to deliver faster positive impacts for citizens and industry. As the EU accelerates the transition to a more resilient, sustainable and competitive electricity system, the EnRA will provide specialised training, peer exchange and tailored support to public sector professionals working in regulatory authorities, ministries and other public bodies.
Europe’s electricity sector is undergoing major changes amid significant geopolitical developments. Recent reforms are influencing the electricity market design, renewable energy investment, grid planning and permitting, system flexibility, digitalisation and consumer protection. However, the effectiveness of these reforms depends largely on the capacity of national authorities to implement legislation swiftly, develop the efficient regulatory tools and adapt their institutions and working methods.
Hence, the EnRA has been created to meet this need by placing public sector professionals at the centre of the energy transition. Its objective is to support timely, high-quality implementation of reforms and help turn EU policy into concrete action and benefits on the ground.
Over the next three years, the Academy will offer a comprehensive programme for professionals from all Member States. This will include specialised training courses on focus areas, regional workshops on shared cross-border challenges and solutions, tailored consultations for country-specific or regional reform needs, and practitioner-focused technical briefs explaining policy developments and links with other policy areas in accessible terms.
Beyond training, the Academy aims to create a European community of practice, enabling professionals to learn from each other’s experience and strengthen regulatory cooperation across borders.
The EnRA is funded by the EU through the Technical Support Instrument and implemented by the Florence School of Regulation in cooperation with the Commission’s Reform and Investment Task Force.
You can find more information online.
(For more information: Maciej Berestecki – Tel: +32 229-66483; Anna Wartberger – Tel.: +32 2 298 20 54)
Commission backs pound 40 million EIB investment in Finnish small modular reactor technology
With the support of the European Commission via the InvestEU programme, the European Investment Bank (EIB) is investing up to pound 40 million in Finnish nuclear-technology company Steady Energy to help it develop a small modular reactor (SMR) designed to provide carbon-free heat for cities and industry. In line with the Commission’s SMR Strategy from March 2026, the investment from the EIB – its first ever investment in SMR technology – contributes to having Europe’s first SMRs and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) operational by the early 2030s. The project will support the EU’s competitiveness and leadership in clean-energy technologies, contribute to energy security, and help reduce dependence on fossil fuels while expanding access to affordable, carbon-free energy.
Backed by the InvestEU programme, the loan will fund research, testing, and licensing activities in Finland from 2026 to 2028. Steady Energy’s technology would connect directly to district heating networks, offering an alternative to heat produced from coal, natural gas, and biomass. Unlike conventional nuclear power plants, it is designed to produce heat rather than electricity, reducing conversion losses and allowing heat to be delivered directly to homes and businesses. Steady Energy is a member of the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs.
(For more information: Siobhan McGarry – Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Rya Perincek – Tel.: +32 2 299 49 03)
European Union launches Copernicus Sentinel-3C to support Earth monitoring and disaster response
Today at 03:21 CET, the European Union successfully launched Copernicus Sentinel-3C from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, in close cooperation with the European Space Agency and Arianespace. The satellite established its first contact with the Earth at 04:33 CET, confirming that it is in good health.
The Sentinel-3C will ensure the continued delivery of cutting-edge Earth observation data and services through the Copernicus programme, supporting public and private users worldwide. By expanding Europe’s ability to monitor the health of oceans, land, atmosphere and climate, it will help public authorities, scientists and businesses address environmental challenges and respond to natural disasters.
The mission will deliver essential data on sea surface temperature, sea level and ocean currents, which are essential contributions to ocean observation and the OceanEye initiative. It will monitor wildfires, droughts, vegetation health, harmful algal blooms and coastal water quality, as well as land surface temperature, heatwaves, polar ice and climate change. These data support a wide range of applications, including in emergency response, marine safety, agriculture, water management, climate monitoring and weather forecasting.
After several months of commissioning and calibration, the satellite will become fully operational and begin delivering Earth observation data to users around the world. It will ensure the continued full operational capacity of the Sentinel-3 mission. More information is available online.
(For more information: Thomas Regnier – Tel. + 32 2 299 10 99; Nika Blazevic – Tel. + 32 2 299 27 17)
Team Europe commits over pound 57 million to boost green hydrogen, minerals and metals value chains in South Africa
At the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit today in Cape Town, Team Europe launched two new Global Gateway projects in South Africa to leverage investments and strengthen cooperation on green hydrogen, critical raw materials and sustainable industrial value chains. With over pound 57.8 million, these projects will help South Africa unlock investment and capture more value domestically from its mineral and metal resources, while building solid foundations for a green hydrogen economy.
Both projects are part of the Team Europe Global Gateway Investment Package announced by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in October 2025 to support South Africa’s sustainable future.
Commissioner for international partnerships Jozef Síkela said: ‘These two Global Gateway projects show how Team Europe, together with South Africa, can create the right conditions for private investors to enter markets with high potential and deliver solutions that boost sustainable development. By mobilising investments in renewable hydrogen, sustainable minerals and metals value chains, it supports the transformation of South Africa’s renewable energy potential into benefits for its companies and people with quality jobs in a competitive and decarbonised industry’.
The first project will support the development of value chains for critical raw materials and batteries, renewable and low-carbon hydrogen, processed metals and minerals in South Africa. This will include easier access to investment for local businesses, support to research and development, and capacity development.
The second project focuses on mobilising investment in South Africa’s green hydrogen sector. It will help turn promising projects into bankable investments and reduce financing barriers. It will also deepen cooperation on the clean energy transition to the benefit of businesses, including local ones.
In practice, Team Europe will support South Africa through a combination of grants, equity and concessional finance, alongside technical assistance and policy cooperation.
The initiatives bring together the European Union, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, and are implemented by Germany’s development agency GIZ and Germany’s development bank KfW, in close partnership with South African public institutions and development finance actors.
(For more information: Guillaume Mercier – Tel.: +32 2 298 05 64; Jennifer Sanchez Da Silva – Tel.: +32 2 295 83 16)
Joint Statement on the International Democracy Day
On the occasion of the International Day for Democracy, Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, High Representative Kaja Kallas and Commissioner Michael McGrath have issued the following joint statement:
‘Democracy is built on the ability of people to shape the decisions that affect their lives. It is sustained through dialogue, differing opinions and compromise, and reinforced by everyday acts of participation, responsibility and courage. It endures through citizens casting votes with confidence they will count; judges delivering justice independently of political pressure; journalists reporting in the face of intimidation; and in those who take to the streets to demand accountability, respect for human rights and the protection of their fundamental freedoms.’
‘On this International Day of Democracy, we reiterate the European Union’s commitment to all those working to uphold democratic values. With democracy under such heavy pressure, seizing opportunities for democratic progress requires strong partnerships, across regions, amongst governments, and with international organisations, civil society, and independent media. The true strength of democracy is in the people who defend it every day. The European Union will always support those who do.’
The full statement can be found online.
Strengthening democratic resilience will also feature prominently in the European Citizens’ Panel starting this Friday, where 150 randomly selected EU citizens will come together to draft recommendations to the EU. All citizens can contribute to the deliberations via the Citizens’ Engagement Platform .
(For more information: Anouar EL Anouni – Tel.: +32 2 291 35 80; Markus Lammert – Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Xavier Cifre Quatresols – Tel.: +32 2 297 35 82; Cristina Torres Castillo – Tel.: +32 2 299 06 79)
Commission appoints a new Director in its Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union
The European Commission appointed today Anne-Françoise Mélot as Director in charge of Resources and General Affairs within its Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD). This department is responsible for EU policies on taxation and customs and has a critical role in supporting a swift economic recovery and the transition to a greener, digitalised and fairer economy in the EU. The date of effect will be determined later.
With over 25 years of professional experience in the European Commission, Ms Mélot brings extensive expertise in financial management, risk management, internal control and audit-related matters, complemented by a strong understanding of regulatory and enforcement issues. She has a strong management track record, having led sizeable teams, overseen human and financial resources, and steered organisational change, including the restructuring of the IT portfolio of the Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (DG FISMA).Throughout her career, she has also played a key role in complex negotiations and stakeholder engagement, notably with Member States on the 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive and the plurilateral treaty terminating intra-EU bilateral investment treaties, while also representing the Commission in international fora. Her strong analytical, organisational and management skills, combined with her ability to oversee resources, drive change and handle complex files, provide a solid foundation for leading the Directorate for Resources and General Affairs and its wide-ranging responsibilities.
Anne-Françoise Mélot, a Belgian national, is currently Head of Unit for IT, Finance and Internal Control in DG FISMA. Previously, she served as Head of Unit for Free Movement of Capital and Application of EU Law and as Deputy Head of Unit for Company Law, Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility, as well as for Accounting and Financial Reporting, in the same Directorate-General. Earlier in her career, she held different positions in DG FISMA and the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs in roles related to risk management and financial instruments. Before joining the European Commission in 2001, she worked in the private sector as an auditor.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Isabel Otero Barderas – Tel.: +32 2 296 69 25)
European Mobility Week 2026 promotes sustainable mobility for all generations
From 16 to 22 September, more than 2,500 towns and cities will participate in the European Mobility Week, the European Commission’s annual flagship campaign promoting sustainable urban mobility.
This year’s theme, ‘Mobility for Everyone’, places intergenerational fairness at the heart of the campaign. It highlights the need to ensure that people of all ages can access sustainable transport, regardless of their income, location, gender or abilities. The European Mobility Week campaign invites participants to envision transport systems that are accessible, inclusive and responsive to every current and future generation. To this end, discussions and dedicated events will bring organisers and participants together to exchange ideas on how to make urban mobility more sustainable, what are the main challenges, and how Europeans can overcome them.
Among the thousands of events, the week’s activities feature a Car-Free Day in numerous towns and cities across Europe, creating space for bike tours, walks, and dance events. This year’s theme will be also reflected in sports games and cycling sessions for all ages. Educational activities will invite pupils to share their vision for the city’s streets. The week will also mark the inauguration of new permanent measures to promote sustainable mobility in towns and cities, including bicycle ramps on staircases and expanded 30 km/h zones.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, will launch the European Mobility Week at an event today, 15 September, in Strasbourg. He will be joined by Virginijus Sinkevicius, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on transport and former Commissioner for the Environment, and Catherine Trautmann, Mayor of Strasbourg.
Find out more about the planned European Mobility Week activities in a town or city near you.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, said: ‘The European Mobility Week is a reminder that transport must work for everyone. This year, our campaign’s focus is on intergenerational fairness. We need accessible, affordable and reliable mobility solutions that connect people of all ages to services, jobs, education, and each other. A fairer, cleaner and more user-friendly transport system means more opportunities, greater independence and stronger communities across Europe.’
For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Anni Juusola – Tel.: +32 2 296 09 86)
Commissioner Hansen travels to Ireland to host youth policy dialogue, and attends the National Ploughing Championships
On Thursday, 17 September, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen will travel to Ireland to host his third youth policy dialogue and attend the 95th National Ploughing Championships. This is Ireland’s largest outdoor agricultural event, taking place in Screggan, Tullamore, in County Offaly, from 15 to 17 September.
Commission officials will also be present at the championship with a stand, to answer questions and exchange ideas on the Vision for Agriculture and Food, the Common Agricultural Policy and the future of farming, among others. The Championship brings together farmers, rural communities, businesses, researchers and policymakers to celebrate Irish and European agriculture. The event welcomes up to 300,000 visitors every year.
During his trip, Commissioner Hansen will also chair the third Youth Policy Dialogue on the Generational Renewal Strategy for Agriculture and the EU Livestock Strategy in Dublin, Ireland.
The third dialogue aims to get participants’ views to inform the implementation of the EU Livestock Strategy, reflecting different Member State realities, with a specific focus on Ireland. Participants will identify what specific solutions at EU and national level are effective. They will also discuss key challenges and opportunities for young livestock farmers and for generational renewal in the sector, also in view of different livestock sub sectors, the role of innovation, digitalisation, and sustainability.
Youth dialogues are part of the European Commission’s commitment to mainstream the voice of young people in EU policymaking, as set out in President Ursula von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines for 2024-2029. These dialogues are important to ensure that young people’s voice is heard and engages them in EU policymaking.
(For more information: Louise Bogey – Tel.: +32 229-69776; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschtz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83)
Tentative agendas for forthcoming Commission meetings
Note that these items can be subject to changes.
Upcoming events of the European Commission
Eurostat press releases
Calendar items of the President and Commissioners
Individual calendars of the President and Commissioners
Commission proposes ambitious measures to strengthen fair labour mobility
Today, the European Commission adopted the Fair Labour Mobility package to guarantee clear social rights for everyone, everywhere in the EU, regardless of where they choose to live and work.
The package will enable workers to prove and claim their social security and health insurance rights, and have their qualifications understood everywhere in the EU and formally recognised where the profession is regulated. New rules and tools will better protect mobile workers from abuse and remove slow and complex administrative procedures that hinder companies from recruiting talent or providing services across the EU. National administrations will benefit from more efficient cooperation to enforce workers’ rights and to fight fraud.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: ‘The single market must also become a genuine skills market with more opportunities for workers and businesses. And that is what this package sets out to do – tackling two of the Terrible ten barriers and making the most of the talent we have in Europe, and attracting more. Simplification and stronger enforcement go hand in hand – skills, recognition and protection will move seamlessly across borders. A win-win.’
The package includes a Communication on fair labour mobility and five legislative proposals:
A Regulation establishing a European Social Security Pass;
A ‘Skills Portability Act’, a Regulation on digital and comparable qualifications;
A Regulation to strengthen the European Labour Authority;
An amending Directive on professional qualifications; and
A Directive on qualifications of third-country nationals.
Once fully in place, the package will deliver an estimated pound 6 billion in benefits by 2040, by faster recognition of professional qualifications, real time verification of social security documents and other savings for business, workers and authorities, as well as by fraud avoidance.
Using digital documents across borders
The European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS) will enable people to request and receive social security documents fully online, including the European Health Insurance Card and portable document A1 for posted workers.
Through the EU Digital Identity Wallet, people moving to another EU country will be able to store and present these documents digitally, while administrations will be able to verify them quickly and securely. This digital space will be available to people and companies across the EU by the end of the year.
Over 12 years, digitalisation could save up to pound 64 million for businesses, pound 69 million for healthcare providers, and pound 72 million for labour inspectors through faster cross-border verification. Digital signatures could avoid up to pound 277 million in fraud over the same period.
Helping skills and qualifications travel across borders
Qualifications will be issued in a standardised digital format and be available in the EU Digital Identity Wallet. This will make it easier to verify the authenticity of qualifications. The Commission also proposes to provide a new EU qualifications comparison tool, drawing on information from national qualifications databases. This will give employers and workers a simple, free way to understand and compare qualifications across Member States.
The Commission has also proposed updating rules for recognising professional qualifications in regulated professions. A mandatory digital procedure will make cross-border recognition for professionals such as doctors, nurses, engineers and teachers faster (five weeks instead of three months), cheaper and more secure, while maintaining high public safety, consumer protection and professional standards.
Through common training frameworks, the Commission will extend automatic recognition to more regulated professions, notably those registering shortages based on a preliminary list of 10 additional professions. Today, the Commission adopted the first such framework for physiotherapists, one of the most mobile professions in the EU.
New rules will also set common standards for recognising qualifications obtained outside the EU for EU citizens and for third-country professionals working in the Single Market or applying from abroad. Such procedures take today 14 months on average, while the common standards will bring them to 4 months, cutting by as much as half the administrative costs of hiring for employers. For seven professions where EU-wide training standards already exist, qualifications delivered by accredited institutions outside the EU and reviewed by European quality assurance bodies will be recognised automatically. Member States keep full control over who is admitted to their territory and over the standards to practise a profession.
Strengthening the European Labour Authority
Once adopted, the Commission’s proposed regulation will equip the European Labour Authority (ELA) with stronger tools to support Member States in enforcing EU law. It will allow ELA to improve its capacity to provide risk assessment for inspections to help national inspectorates better target controls. It also proposes to reinforce cross-border cooperation and expertise with dedicated national inspection liaison officers. It will further improve access to information on rights and obligations by providing grants to organisations that support people working in other Member States and employers providing services or recruiting across EU borders.
The proposal further expands the mandate of ELA to tackling abuses against third-country nationals working in the EU and combatting illegal employment. It will also simplify ELA’s mediation procedure, helping Member States resolve cross-border disputes more quickly and avoiding litigation, thus reducing costs and uncertainty, and improving administrative cooperation.
Next steps
People will see the first practical benefits once the initiatives are adopted by the European Parliament and the Council and the main measures enter into force.
Social security documents will be digitalised in stages, starting with the portable document A1 for posted workers one year after the ESSPASS Regulation enters into force, followed by the European Health Insurance Card and other documents within three years.
Changes to qualifications and skills portability will also be phased in: simpler recognition of non-EU qualifications within two years of adoption, while digital qualifications in the EU Digital Identity Wallet and easier recognition for regulated professions within three years.
Once the revised mandate is adopted, ELA can begin implementing changes, with improvements expected over 2028-2030.
Background
In 2024, 14 million Europeans lived in another EU Member State, including over 10 million people of working age (3.9% of the EU working-age population). At the same time, 18% of respondents in a recent Eurobarometer survey said they would like to work abroad.
At the March EU summit, EU leaders called for measures to enhance worker mobility by improving the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and strengthening the portability of skills, including through digitalisation. This package delivers on the One Europe, One Market roadmap, which identified the fair labour mobility package and the skills portability initiative as priority deliverables for a more integrated Single Market.
For more information
Questions and answers
Factsheet on European Social Security Pass
Factsheet on strengthened European Labour Authority
Factsheet on skills portability initiative
Communication on Fair Labour Mobility Package
ESSPASS Regulation
Regulation to strengthen the European Labour Authority (ELA)
Skills Portability Act
Amending Directive on professional qualifications
Directive on the recognition of qualifications of non-EU nationals
Quote(s)
The single market must also become a genuine skills market with more opportunities for workers and businesses. And that is what this package sets out to do – tackling two of the Terrible ten barriers and making the most of the talent we have in Europe, and attracting more. Simplification and stronger enforcement go hand in hand – skills, recognition and protection will move seamlessly across borders. A win-win.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
This package will profoundly change the single market for the better. For Europeans, it is about empowerment: your choice, your rights, your skills. People should be able to work across Europe with their social rights protected and their qualifications recognised faster. Businesses should be able to recruit the talent they need with less paperwork and fewer delays. Stronger cooperation between national authorities will help tackle fraud and abuse, so that those who break the rules cannot undercut workers and responsible businesses. Fair labour mobility must work for everyone, whether they decide to experience other parts of Europe or stay in their home country.
Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness
With the new rules, the recognition of qualifications will be simpler and faster, including for skilled workers from outside the EU. In addition, we are giving the European Labour Authority the tools to tackle illegal employment and exploitation, including concerning third-country nationals. We are removing barriers for those who want to work legally in Europe – and closing loopholes for those who want to exploit them.