Commission boosts maritime manufacturing with new EU Industrial Maritime Value Chains Alliance
The European Commission has officially launched the new EU Industrial Maritime Value Chains Alliance, following up on its commitment in the recently adopted European Industrial Maritime Strategy.
The maritime industry is a cornerstone of Europe’s economic security and strategic autonomy, with a key role in safeguarding supply chains, ensuring defence readiness and supporting the clean and digital transitions.
The alliance aims to bring together maritime manufacturers, shipowners and other downstream users, Member States and their regions, investors, and social partners.
Its goal is to help strengthen Europe’s maritime industrial and technological sovereignty in identified lead markets, notably segments with a potential to bolster Europe’s maritime manufacturing capacity. The alliance will help to create business cases for scaling up production and deployment in market segments and technologies relevant for the EU manufacturing base and address the needs of the shipping, ports, and other segments of the maritime sector. In addition, this alliance will prompt targeted investment, public-private synergies and industrial collaboration towards joint action and concrete projects, while addressing market, trade and competitiveness challenges in a more comprehensive manner.
A call for applications published today invites stakeholders to join if they comply with the eligibility criteria and commit to the objectives of the Alliance. The call will remain continuously open with a first cut-off deadline on 16 October 2026.
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Rya Perincek – Tel.: +32 2 299 49 03)
Commission approves German capacity mechanism of up to pound 35 billion to secure electricity supply
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a capacity mechanism for Germany available from 2031. This measure, with an estimated cost between pound 15.6 billion and pound 35.2 billion, aims to ensure sufficient capacity to produce, store or flexibly consume electricity, so that electricity production can consistently meet expected demand. Capacity mechanisms can play an important role ensuring security of supply as part of the transition to a decarbonised electricity system, and the measure includes requirements that will support climate neutrality by 2045 at the latest.
The Commission assessed the German measure 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 the development of certain economic activities subject to certain conditions, and the Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy 2022 (‘CEEAG’). The Commission found that the measure is necessary, appropriate and proportionate.
On this basis, the Commission approved the German measure under EU State aid rules.
In addition to the measure approved today by the Commission under EU State aid rules, Germany intends to introduce a structural capacity mechanism in 2027. This new measure is planned to more extensively address Germany’s security of supply concerns from 2032 onwards and will be covered by a separate budget. This future capacity mechanism is outside the scope of today’s Commission decision but is an important part of the package for delivering the investor certainty needed for security of supply.
A press release is available online.
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 47 74)
Commission approves pound 30 million Portuguese State aid for agricultural, fishery and aquaculture companies facing increased fuel and fertiliser prices
The European Commission has approved a pound 30 million State aid scheme for agricultural, fishery and aquaculture companies facing increased fuel and fertiliser prices due to the Middle East crisis.
The scheme was approved under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF) adopted by the Commission on 29 April 2026.
The scheme, which will run until 31 December 2026, aims to mitigate the impact of the increase in agricultural fuel and fertiliser prices.
The aid will take the form of direct grants. The scheme concerns the grant of a limited amount of aid calibrated on the increase of the prices of fuel and fertilisers with a maximum of pound 50,000 per company. For the agricultural sector, the aid for fertilisers is based on a fixed amount depending on the number of hectares of agricultural surface and the animals of the company. The aid for fuel costs consists of pound 0.10 per litre of agricultural or marine diesel consumed from 1 April to 30 June 2026.
The Commission assessed the 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 the development of certain economic activities subject to certain conditions, as well as Sections 1 and 2.1 of the METSAF. The Commission found that the scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the METSAF. In particular, the aid will be granted based on a scheme with a clear estimated budget and will be provided to temporarily support the development of companies active in the primary production of agricultural, fishery and aquaculture products. The Commission concluded that the scheme is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to facilitate the development of an economic activity and does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest.
On this basis, the Commission approved the Portuguese scheme under EU State aid rules.
A press release is available online.
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 47 74)
Commission clears acquisition of Synthomer by Mutares
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of Synthomer a.s. of Czechia by Mutares SE and Co. KGaA (‘Mutares’) of Germany.
The transaction relates primarily to the chemicals sector.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given that the companies are not active in the same or vertically related markets. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.12517.
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Sara Simonini – Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)
Commission clears acquisition of Batibig by Charterhouse
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of Batibig 3 SAS (‘Batibig’) of France by Charterhouse Capital Partners LLP (‘Charterhouse’) of the UK.
The transaction relates primarily to electrical and construction installations and maintenance.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the companies’ limited market position resulting from the proposed transaction. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.12563.
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Sara Simonini – Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)
Commissioner Zaharieva in Prague to discuss EU priorities on innovation, research, AI and competitiveness
Tomorrow, 3 September, Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva will be in Prague, Czechia, for discussions with Czech authorities and leading representatives of the research community on the EU’s priorities in innovation, research, artificial intelligence and competitiveness.
During her visit, Commissioner Zaharieva will meet First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade, Karel Havlícek; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Alena Schillerová; Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Robert Plaga; and President of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Radomír Pánek. Discussions will focus on key EU initiatives supporting start-ups, scale-ups, research and innovation, including the Startup and Scaleup Strategy, the Scaleup Europe Fund, and the future EU research programme, Horizon Europe 2028-2034. The agenda will also cover the forthcoming European Research Area Act and the European Innovation Act.
Commissioner Zaharieva will also take part in the Central and Eastern Europe AI Summit 2026, where she will deliver a keynote speech, participate in a panel discussion on scaling AI innovation in Central and Eastern Europe, and join a roundtable exchange with founders and CEOs of AI start-ups.
(For more information: Maciej Berestecki – Tel: +32 229-66483; Isabel Arriaga e Cunha – Tel: +32 229-52117)
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