The Commission and the High Representative have today presented an international strategy for securing Europe’s place in global markets. The new EU global climate and energy vision presents the EU’s offer to the world: using diplomacy to protect our core interests, promoting standards for a fair transition by assisting our partners to develop theirs, and addressing the new security threats and challenges that endanger both European interests and those of our partners.
The EU is actively contributing to the ongoing clean industrial revolution across the world. The vision adds an external dimension to the Clean Industrial Deal and sets a new strategy to strengthen existing partnerships and forging new, mutually beneficial ones. To fully reap the benefits of the clean transition, the EU must be the industrial powerhouse supplying and providing clean tech and adaptation solutions to countries around the world, and create new business opportunities for its own clean tech industry.
As a market still dependent on fossil energy imports, renewables will remain at the heart of the EU’s clean transition. Almost half of EU electricity was generated by renewables in 2024. This significantly increases the EU’s energy independence and security. The EU has also seen an increase of 111% in the share of clean energy investments since 2015. The vision proposes to ramp up the EU’s clean technology manufacturing capacity to reach 15% of the global tech market, while improving its industrial competitiveness, in line with the Clean Industrial Deal.
The vision also reaffirms the EU’s commitment to a rules-based international order. The EU’s message to global partners is clear: we are working to fulfil the goals set out in the Paris Agreement; we are a reliable partner that plays by the rules; and we are open for business and cooperation.
The EU will continue fostering bilateral partnerships and multilateral alliances – existing and new ones – at international fora and at different levels, ranging from Free Trade Agreements, to Just Energy Transition Partnerships to Green Alliances. In addition, carbon pricing is crucial for achieving global climate goals, reducing emissions, promoting innovation, and ensuring a just and orderly transition away from fossil fuels. Major economies have recently adopted and expanded carbon pricing policies, which shows that it works. The EU is committed to its promotion through various initiatives, including supporting other countries in developing robust carbon pricing policies through a dedicated taskforce.
The EU will continue driving robust international climate policies. This includes stronger action to address the nexus between climate change, environmental degradation, and security and resilience by engaging at multilateral (UN and NATO) and bilateral levels. It will implement the actions set out in the 2023 Joint Communication on the Climate-Security Nexus and continue combatting information manipulation and disinformation on climate change.
Main actions
Today’s EU global climate and energy vision presents a series of strategic actions for global energy and climate engagement to drive the clean transition, competitiveness and clean technologies and investments, including:
Injecting political momentum: Encouraging multilateral and bilateral fora and initiatives to deliver on the Paris Agreement and Global Stocktake commitments.
Boosting EU clean tech businesses internationally and enabling climate resilient investments: Organising business fora, setting up an EU external Clean Transition Business Council, scaling up investments and establishing business models for climate adaptation.
Supporting and connecting European businesses with global investments: Making full use of the Global Gateway Investment Hub to assist joint investments projects outside the EU and the proposed Global Europe envelope to support EU business abroad and raise demand for EU technology.
Expanding networks of mutually beneficial partnerships for global and resilient clean value chains, through free trade agreements, clean trade and investment partnerships and other instruments.
Reforming global financial institutions for the clean and resilient transition and stepping up EU’s climate security work.
Background
In February 2025, the Commission presented the Clean Industrial Deal – a plan for EU competitiveness and decarbonisation within the EU. It included a new focus on energy-intensive industries that urgently need support to decarbonise, switch to clean energy, and tackle high costs, unfair global competition, and complex regulations. Similarly, it targeted the clean-tech sector which is at the heart of future competitiveness and necessary for industrial transformation, circularity, and decarbonisation. The Communication was followed in the summer by a series of more concrete elements, such as a new State Aid Framework and recommendations on tax incentives.
Today’s EU global climate and energy vision builds on the Clean Industrial Deal and extends some of its elements to the global clean transition and cooperation with partners worldwide.
The EU is staying the course to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and is advancing in fulfilling the Paris Agreement. The EU has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 37% since 1990, accounting only for 6% of global emissions, and is with its Member States the biggest climate finance contributor in the world.
For more information
Questions and answers
Factsheet
Clean Industrial Deal
Quote(s)
Energy supplies are being weaponised while our climate rapidly changes. Energy is a resource and a strategic capability. Today we set out where the EU will focus our climate and energy diplomacy, from promoting European clean tech businesses, to upping our investment in projects across the globe that support a sustainable transition. Our message is simple: We want to secure our continent’s energy supply and work with our partners towards a future that is mutually beneficial, powered by clean energy and defined by climate resilience.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission
The world needs fair and green development strategy, and Europe knows how to deliver it. We can turn values into value towards a climate-proof society. Our companies have decades of experience turn high social and environmental standards in lasting prosperity. We are reliable partners and we are ready to drive sustainable and resilient prosperity worldwide.
Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition
Today, we’re taking a more strategic, results-focused approach to climate and energy diplomacy. The EU has shown that climate action and economic growth can go hand in hand. By strengthening global partnerships, we aim to boost clean investments, reform finance, and make the clean transition a worldwide success.
Wopke Hoekstra, Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth
What we are presenting today is a paradigm shift on how to conduct the EU’s relations in the world on energy and climate. We will combine diplomacy with technical energy assistance, trade instruments, industrial policy, and finance. We will be much more target oriented and focused on delivering mutual economic benefits, decarbonisation and energy security. We will harness our trade relationships to deliver more clean technologies and more energy projects, working both in Europe, with our neighbours and worldwide.
Dan Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing
Statement by President von der Leyen on the Pact for the Mediterranean
Today the College of Commissioners approved our Pact for the Mediterranean. For millennia, the Mediterranean has been a bridge between continents. For people, goods and ideas. These exchanges have shaped who we are and how we live. The truth is that Europe and the Mediterranean cannot exist without each other. And today, the future of our two shores is more connected than ever before. In an increasingly competitive and contested global economy, our economic ties with our Southern neighbours have already grown stronger. Trade between the European Union and the rest of Mediterranean has increased by over 60% in just 5 years. Our value chains are more and more interconnected. So, the time is ripe for deeper integration. We should simplify making business between us. We should create new ties between our industries, our universities, our institutions. This is why today we are making a clear offer to our neighbours. Let us create a Common Mediterranean Space, with the goal of progressive integration between us. This is the essence of the Pact for the Mediterranean.
The Pact is the result of almost a year of dialogue and intense engagement with our neighbours. It is a Pact between partners. It focuses on three main pillars. The first pillar – the heart of our work – is people. The second is the economy. And the third is the link between security, preparedness and migration. For each pillar, we have identified initiatives that will deliver real change on the ground – more than 100 concrete ideas and actions. From creating a Mediterranean University, to connecting our cultural institutions and civil societies. From building AI factories across the Mediterranean, to a new initiative for Mediterranean start-ups. From managing migration together, to the new European Firefighting Hub in Cyprus. And the list is much longer. The focus is on getting things done. These initiatives will form an action plan, to be agreed with our 10 Southern neighbours. Because, to quote a proverb that is shared across the region: ‘Actions speak louder than words’.
On the European side, we will mobilise our financial instruments in a Team Europe approach. And crucially, we will leave no stone unturned to mobilise private investments. We also want to step up triangular cooperation, in particular with Gulf countries. Working with them is essential on projects like the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor.
This is a very special moment for the Mediterranean but also for Europe as both share a common future of peace and cooperation often during unimaginable pain and loss. The devastating war in Gaza has finally come to an end marking a pivotal moment not only for Gaza but also for the European Union and the wider Mediterranean marking the moment when future of the region is being rewritten. Europe has a stake in shaping a future of peace and prosperity. Because this is our common region. And we want to play our part as partners. It is our commitment to our shared Mediterranean home.
Commission and High Representative present new Defence Roadmap to strengthen European defence capabilities
Today, the Commission and the High Representative have proposed to EU Member States the ‘Preserving Peace – Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030’, a comprehensive plan to strengthen European defence capabilities.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: ‘The recent threats have shown that Europe is at risk. We have to protect every citizen and square centimetre of our territory. And Europe must respond with unity, solidarity and determination. Today’s Defence Roadmap presents a clear plan with shared goals and concrete milestones on our path to 2030. Because only what gets measured gets done. Moving from plans to action, the Roadmap proposes four European Flagships: the European Drone Defence Initiative, the Eastern Flank Watch, the European Air Shield, and the European Space Shield. This will strengthen our defence industries, accelerate production and maintain our long-standing support to Ukraine.’
As requested by the European Council in June, the Defence Roadmap outlines clear objectives and milestones to close capability gaps, accelerate defence investments across Member States, and guide the EU’s progress towards full defence readiness by 2030. Strengthening Europe’s defence also means standing firmly with Ukraine.
European Readiness Flagships
To act swiftly where a joint approach is most effective, the Defence Roadmap proposes four initial European Readiness Flagships: The European Drone Defence Initiative, the Eastern Flank Watch, the European Air Shield, and the European Space Shield. These will reinforce Europe’s ability to deter and defend across land, air, sea, cyber, and space while contributing directly to NATO capability targets.
Readiness through Capability Coalitions
Achieving full defence readiness means ensuring that Member States’ armed forces can anticipate, prepare for, and respond to any crisis, including high-intensity conflict. The roadmap calls on Member States to complete the formation of Capability Coalitions in nine key areas – to close critical capability gaps through joint development and procurement.
These are air and missile defence; strategic enablers; military mobility; artillery systems; cyber, AI, electronic warfare; missile and ammunition; drones and counter-drones; ground combat; and maritime.
A strong, resilient and technologically innovative EU defence industrial base
Closing gaps requires an EU defence industry that can deliver the capabilities that Member States need at the necessary scale and speed. The full potential of innovation for defence, including Ukrainian solutions, should be tapped. The resilience of defence supply chains should be secured, including by reducing critical dependencies in raw materials and other critical inputs.
Boosting defence investment
A simplified and integrated European defence equipment market is key for scaling up production, achieving economies of scale, and driving innovation. By 2030, the goal is to establish a genuine EU-wide market with harmonised rules that enable industry to deliver at speed and volume. The Commission will track industrial capacity – starting with air and missile defence, drones, and space systems – to ensure Europe can meet its most urgent needs.
The roadmap follows the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, a major boost in public and private investment, which gives Member States greater financial flexibility to strengthen production and readiness. The European Commission and the High Representative will present this roadmap to the European Council, including the proposals for pan-European flagship projects that will guide Europe to full defence readiness by 2030.
The roadmap also sets out plans to establish an EU-wide military mobility area by 2027, with harmonised rules and a network of land, air, and sea routes to move troops and equipment swiftly across Europe. Developed in close coordination with NATO, this will strengthen Europe’s ability to respond rapidly to crises.
Background
In March 2025, the Commission and the High Representative put forward the joint White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030 complemented by the Commission’s ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, an ambitious defence package providing financial levers to EU Member States to drive an investment surge in defence capabilities.
The activation of the national escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact for defence purposes together with the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) loan form the backbone of the ReArm Europe Plan / Readiness 2030, enabling Member States to substantially and rapidly scale up their investments in European defence.
In June 2025, the European Council invited the Commission and the High Representative to present a roadmap to review progress on the White Paper and discuss the next steps in the implementation of its defence readiness objective.
For more information
Joint Communication Preserving Peace – Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030
Readiness 2030 factsheet
White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030 factsheet
ReArm Europe plan Factsheet
Quote(s)
The recent threats have shown that Europe is at risk. We have to protect every citizen and square centimetre of our territory. And Europe must respond with unity, solidarity and determination. Today’s Defence Roadmap presents a clear plan with shared goals and concrete milestones on our path to 2030. Because only what gets measured gets done. Moving from plans to action, the Roadmap proposes four European Flagships: the European Drone Defence Initiative, the Eastern Flank Watch, the European Air Shield, and the European Space Shield. This will strengthen our defence industries, accelerate production and maintain our long-standing support to Ukraine.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
As we unveil the EU defence roadmap, we are taking decisive steps towards a more secure and self-reliant Europe. By enhancing our collective capabilities and deepening cooperation among member states, we are ensuring that Europe is prepared to face the challenges of today and tomorrow with strength and unity. Together, we are building a stronger defence framework that underscores the EU’s role as a pillar of stability on the global stage.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
Defence is a prerequisite for preserving peace and Europe’s defences are not yet as strong as they should be. The roadmap we present today is a proposal to change this. Over the next few years, we envisage a major build-up of European capabilities across the Union, in line with NATO targets. Our armed forces must be able to anticipate, prepare for and respond to any crisis. There are major opportunities here, not least for Europe’s defence industry, but also for European countries who we encourage to work together on projects that serve the collective interest. It is high time to turn Europe’s economic might into military strength, and quickly.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission
Today is delivery day. Our Roadmap will guide Europe to deliver on defence readiness by 2030. We are building on the unprecedented decisions we took during this year, which created a ‘big bang’ in defence spending and legal, industrial and political opportunities to boost defence production. Our roadmap today creates conditions for clear plans, timetables, deliverables and indicators and a clear reporting and monitoring system, to ramp up procurement and production, bring permanent defence innovation, build European defence flagship projects and produce with, in and for Ukraine. Our roadmap shows all the major milestones to achieve Defence Readiness by 2030, so we can deter Russian aggression, prevent war and preserve peace. Our policy is production, our purpose is peace.
Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space
Commissioner Kadis joins EU Algae awareness Summit in Berlin
The European Commission, along with the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, convened the EU algae industry in Berlin for the 2nd EU Algae Awareness Summit, starting today. Attended by Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, the meeting aims to support the EU algae sector in unlocking its full potential and expanding production across Europe. As a strategic resource, algae offer innovative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet: climate change, food security, marine ecosystem regeneration, and job creation in our coastal and rural regions.
By harnessing the power of algae, we can create new value chains and jobs, stimulate innovation, restore ecosystems and promote sustainable practices across various industries.
Following up on the communication ‘Towards a strong and sustainable EU algae sector’ adopted in 2022, the Commission, with the European Ocean Pact, envisages the scaling up of European algae production, the launch of the Blue Bioeconomy Innovation initiative by 2027, and the setting of voluntary targets for the growth of algae production in the EU.
Commissioner Kadis and Alois Rainer, German Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Regional Identity, will kick-off the second day of the event, 17 October.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Anna Wartberger – Tel: +32 2 28 20 54)
Commission releases funds for Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia under EU Growth Plan for Western Balkans
The European Commission has released funding for Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia as part of the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. This decision acknowledges the significant reforms partners have made to better align with EU standards.
Albania will receive its first disbursement of pound 99.3 million, out of which pound 46.2 million will be paid directly to the state budget, and the remaining funds will support infrastructure projects through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). Montenegro is set to receive its second disbursement of pound 8.1 million, including pound 3.8 million paid directly to the state budget and the rest earmarked for infrastructure projects via the WBIF. North Macedonia will receive its second disbursement amounting to pound 16 million, with pound 7.4 million paid directly to the state budget and the rest funding infrastructure projects through the WBIF. Once approved by the WBIF Board, these funds will support infrastructure projects in areas such as sustainable transport, clean energy, digital and human capital development, in close cooperation with Western Balkan partners and international financial institutions.
Since the start of the Western Balkans Growth Plan, the total amounts disbursed add up to pound 99.3 million for Albania, pound 18.3 million for Montenegro, and pound 25 million for North Macedonia. The Growth Plan incentivises enlargement partners’ preparations for EU membership, by bringing forward benefits ahead of full integration into the EU. This in turn accelerates the speed of the enlargement process and the growth of their economies.
More information can be found on the Reform and Growth Facility Scoreboard and the Growth Plan webpage.
(For more information: Guillaume Mercier – Tel.: +32 460 75 53 11; Yuliya Matsyk – Tel.: +32 460 76 15 41)
Commission welcomes Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and North Macedonia as first Enlargement partners to join SEPA schemes
The European Commission has welcomed 40 banks from Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and North Macedonia have officially joined the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) schemes. This historic development is set to make euro transactions between these four partners and the European Union more reliable, faster, and cheaper, potentially saving up to pound 500 million for individuals and businesses. For small and medium-sized enterprises, it will also simplify international transactions and enhance cross-border trade.
Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos said: ‘Today, we celebrate the tangible results that our ongoing efforts to gradually integrate candidate countries bring to their people and businesses. Our work does not stop here. We will continue to strive for the full operationalisation of SEPA schemes for our candidate countries, bringing their citizens and businesses even closer to the European Union’.
This decision was made by the European Payments Council after the four countries entered SEPA’s geographical scope – Albania and Montenegro in November 2024, and North Macedonia and Moldova in March 2025.
This is a practical example of the impact of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Growth Plan for Moldova, by aligning national rules with EU rules. These EU initiatives aim to accelerate the socio-economic integration of these regions into the European Union, including by providing gradual access to certain areas of the EU single market, in line with EU standards and regulations.
(For more information: Guillaume Mercier – Tel.: +32 460 75 53 11; Yuliya Matsyk – Tel.: +32 460 76 15 41)
Commission celebrates broad political support for Roadmap for Women’s Rights
Today, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, will gather European political, institutional, and civil society leaders in a ceremony marking their endorsement of the Declaration of principles for a gender-equal society contained within the Roadmap for Women’s Rights. Presented by the Commission in March this year, the Roadmap reaffirms the EU’s commitment to advance gender equality and women’s rights. It will guide and underpin concrete policy initiatives put forward in the next Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030, to be adopted for International Women’s Day 2026.
The Roadmap’s principles and policy objectives have been endorsed across the EU by the European Parliament, the trio of presidencies of the Council of the EU, all 27 Member States, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, and the European Investment Bank. The European Institute for Gender Equality or the Fundamental Rights Agency, the European Trade Union Confederation, UN Women, the Gates Foundation and a large network of civil society organisations have also joined this wave of support.
Today’s endorsement ceremony highlights the wide-ranging political support for this initiative and showcases unity in a time of polarisation and backlash against gender equality. Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Commissioner Lahbib, Pina Picierno, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Nataša Pirc Musar, President of Slovenia, and Magnus Johannes Heunicke, Danish Minister for the Environment and Gender Equality, will each deliver a speech at the ceremony.
Executive Vice-President Mînzatu, said: ‘We stand united behind the Roadmap for Women’s Rights, and we are now turning commitment into action – by investing in skills, in quality jobs, and in the care systems that allow women to fully realise their potential. Equality is not only a principle; it’s something we build every day through opportunities that empower women to lead, work, and thrive.’
Commissioner Lahbib, said: ‘The Roadmap is our guiding compass to continue our drive for a more equal and cohesive European Union. Seven months ago, I promised to gather a broad coalition of support to renew the EU’s collective commitment to Gender Equality. I am so pleased to see leaders from across the EU at all different levels come together to reiterate once more that women’s rights are human rights, and that they matter for everyone!’
More information can be found online.
(For more information: Eva Hrncírová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray – Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73)
Six EU-funded projects receive 2025 RegioStars Awards
Six innovative EU-funded projects were honoured at the 2025 RegioStars Awards last night in Brussels, held during the 23rd European Week of Regions and Cities. With a record 266 applications from all over Europe, projects were recognised across five thematic categories, plus a Public Choice Award. Organised by the European Commission since 2008, the RegioStars awards celebrate cohesion policy supported projects. They showcase the impact and inclusiveness of regional development projects delivering solutions to common challenges across EU regions. This year’s winners include initiatives ranging from carbon loss reduction in peatlands across the Atlantic Area to the deployment of electric shared cabin taxis on train tracks in Germany, a virtual library for those with print disabilities in Lithuania, and a modern ecological shopping centre in Belgium. One EU-funded project, the AGEO project, shared by Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom, even garnered two awards, including the Public Choice Award. The project focuses on geohazard risk management in the Atlantic region.
The 2025 REGIOSTARS Award Winners, per category:
Competitive and Smart Europe: Satellite radar-based fertilisation maps, Poland.
Green Europe and Public Choice Award: AGEO – Atlantic Geohazard Risk Management, Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland, United Kingdom.
Connected Europe: MONOCAB OWL – New mobility on old tracks, Germany.
Social and Inclusive Europe: Early support for families at risk, Czechia.
Europe Closer to Citizens: Shankill Shared Women’s Centre, Ireland, United Kingdom.
Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, stated: ‘I warmly congratulate the winners of the RegioStarts awards but also all the participants who brought us an impressive choice of projects showing the best of what is being done in Europe thanks to Cohesion policy funding. They all demonstrate the innovation and inclusiveness of EU Cohesion Policy, making a tangible difference for citizens across Europe.’
You can find more information on the 2025 RegioStars Awards online.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Anna Wartberger – Tel: +32 2 28 20 54)
New waste rules set to enhance circularity of textile sector and reduce food waste
Today, the revised rules under the Waste Framework Directive enter into force. This is a significant step forward in addressing textile and food waste. In addition, the revised Directive will promote a circular economy throughout the EU, notably by fostering innovation and moving towards more sustainable industrial and consumer practices.
Regarding the sustainable management of textile waste, the revised Directive introduces two main sets of measures to tackle the significant environmental impacts of the EU’s textile and clothing sector. All Member States will be required to establish their own Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for textiles and footwear, whereby EPR fees will be collected and used to finance the collection, re-use, re-cycle and disposal of textiles. Furthermore, all separately collected textiles will now be considered as waste. This will ensure a uniform interpretation across Member States of what constitutes ‘waste’ versus ‘used’ textiles, and Member States will have to ensure separately collected textiles undergo sorting operations prior to their possible shipment.
Fighting food waste is also a key aim of the Directive. By 2030, Member States must reduce food waste by 10% in processing and manufacturing, and by 30% per capita at retail and consumption, which includes restaurants, food services, and households. To meet these targets, Member States will need to evaluate and adapt their food waste prevention programmes. To monitor progress, the European Commission will conduct a comprehensive review by 2027.
Textile production and consumption also have significant environmental impacts, and about 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste was generated in 2019, of which only one-fifth was separately collected for reuse or recycling. Similarly, data reported since 2020 and up to 2023 has shown significant levels of food waste and no clear downward trend so far. The revised Directive represents a crucial opportunity to address these pressing issues.
You can find more information on the revised waste rules online.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Eva Hrncírová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray – Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73; Maëlys Dreux – Tel.: +32 2 295 46 73)
European Commission appoints Peter Stano as Head of Representation in Bratislava
Today, Peter Stano has been appointed as the new Head of the European Commission Representation in Bratislava, Slovakia. In this function, he will act as the official representative of the European Commission in Slovakia under the political authority of President Ursula von der Leyen. The date of effect for this appointment will be determined later.
Mr Stano has extensive expertise in strategic communication and diplomacy, acquired through a wide-ranging career at both the national and EU levels. Over the years, he has developed in-depth knowledge of media engagement, public communication, and the conduct of diplomatic functions in complex and fast-evolving political environments. He has consistently demonstrated the ability to coordinate communications across EU structures, ensuring coherence and clarity in conveying EU policies and positions to both national and international audiences. His leadership background and management experience – developed through years of coordinating high-profile communication efforts, leading spokesperson teams, and working within complex diplomatic settings – equip him to lead the Representation effectively, advancing the Commission’s priorities and strengthening its visibility at national, regional, and local levels.
For more details on his former roles, please see our dedicated press release.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Isabel Otero Barderas – Tel.: +32 2 296 69 25)
European Commission appoints a new Principal Legal Adviser within its Legal Service
The European Commission has appointed today Tibor Scharf as Principal Legal Adviser in the area of Quality of Legislation at the Legal Service. The Legal Service is an internal department of the Commission. It provides legal advice to the Commission and its departments, and represents the Commission in court cases. The date of effect will be determined later.
Mr Scharf brings a broad range of legal and analytical skills, developed through his long-standing work in the same service. His deep understanding of complex legal frameworks stems from extensive experience in antitrust and merger investigations, as well as in representing the European Commission in more than 300 cases before the Court of Justice and the General Court of the European Union. He has also managed numerous high-stakes dispute settlement proceedings, including before the World Trade Organization. His expertise spans the energy, banking, intellectual property, competition, and state aid sectors. Given this extensive background, Tibor Scharf is exceptionally well placed to lead the Quality of Legislation team within the Legal Service, which bears primary responsibility for ensuring the high quality of EU legislative drafting from the earliest stages of the process.
Tibor Scharf, a German national, currently serves as a Senior Expert in the Legal Service, responsible for energy coordination and energy crisis response. Within the Legal Service, he has previously also worked on files relating to intellectual property, financial services, and anti-money laundering, as well as on matters concerning the European Union’s external relations with Russia, Central Asia, and Japan, and on state aid and anti-dumping portfolios. Before joining the European Commission in 1998, Mr Scharf began his career as a solicitor in the United Kingdom.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Isabel Otero Barderas – Tel.: +32 2 296 69 25)
The European Commission appoints a new Chief Technology Officer for its Directorate-General for Competition
The European Commission has appointed today Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye as Chief Technology Officer within the Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP). This Directorate is responsible for EU policy on competition, and for enforcing EU competition rules, in cooperation with national competition authorities. The date of effect will be determined later.
With over fifteen years of experience in artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and privacy, Mr de Montjoye combines advanced technical expertise with a strong capacity to translate complex technologies into effective regulatory solutions. He has applied his knowledge of data science and computational privacy to shape EU approaches to AI, data protection, and digital competition, contributing to the design of policy and enforcement strategies in the digital domain. He developed strong leadership and management skills through years of coordinating international research teams on complex projects at the intersection of technology and regulation. This experience further enhances his capacity to uphold the Commission’s technological excellence, supporting DG COMP on digital strategy and in the area of digital forensics and intelligence, as well as emerging digital tools.
Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye, a Belgian national, is currently Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at Imperial College London, where he leads the AI Security and Privacy Lab. He previously served as Special Adviser on AI, Privacy, and Data Protection to former Commissioner Reynders, and before that as Special Adviser to former Commissioner Vestager. Earlier in his career, he conducted research at several leading universities worldwide.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Isabel Otero Barderas – Tel.: +32 2 296 69 25)
European Commission appoints a new Director for the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency
The European Commission has appointed today Momchil Sabev as Director of the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). This agency’s mission is to provide high quality support to European innovators, researchers, businesses and consumers. It aims to reinforce the European Union’s position as a global leader in Research and Innovation, strengthen its Single Market, open up opportunities for SMEs and maintain high standards of protection for its citizens towards a more competitive, digital, green and inclusive EU. The date of effect will be determined later.
Drawing on 35 years of experience, Momchil Sabev assumes the position of Principal Adviser and Director of EISMEA with a strong background that bridges institutional know-how and entrepreneurial insight. His career reflects a sustained commitment to advancing innovation, competitiveness, and SME growth across the EU. Over the past decades, he has built a comprehensive understanding of European industry and market dynamics, shaped by extensive work in strategic planning, communication, and financial management. Mr Sabev has demonstrated strong management and coordination skills, having successfully led large, multidisciplinary teams, optimised workflows, and built productive cooperation across Commission departments and with external stakeholders. His deep knowledge of the EU’s regulatory and economic environment – acquired through years of work in taxation, customs, cohesion policy, and budgeting – enables him to translate strategic priorities into concrete actions, ensuring that EISMEA delivers tangible impact for European businesses and innovators.
Momchil Sabev, a Bulgarian national, is currently Head of Unit for Budget and Financial Management at the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO). He previously served as Head of Unit for Tax Administration and the Fight Against Tax Fraud at the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD), and earlier as Head of Unit for Interinstitutional Relations, Coordination, Communication and Strategic Planning in the same Directorate-General. He also held the position of Head of Unit for Control of the Application of EU Legislation and State Aid at DG TAXUD. Before joining the European Commission in 2010, Mr Sabev worked at the European Court of Human Rights.
(For more information: Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Isabel Otero Barderas – Tel.: +32 2 296 69 25)
Pact for the Mediterranean – One Sea, One Pact, One Future – a shared ambition for the region
Today, the European Commission and the High Representative set out a new ambitious strategy to strengthen EU relations with its Southern Mediterranean partners. Building on our historical and cultural ties, the Pact for the Mediterranean will focus on areas of mutual interest where we share challenges and aspirations.
The Pact for the Mediterranean will step up cooperation and economic ties between the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and beyond. It will contribute to building a Common Mediterranean Space that is connected, prosperous, resilient and secure.
The Pact is built on the principles of co-ownership, co-creation and joint responsibility. It takes a practical approach, centred around concrete initiatives that will bring added value for people and economies on all shores of the Mediterranean. The goal is to create mutual benefits – from producing clean energy, to unlocking private investment. This will be achieved by mobilising regional projects that create opportunities for people and businesses alike, with a particular focus on youth, women, and small businesses.
In addition, the Pact also provides an opportunity to further advance our cooperation on security, preparedness and migration management. Areas of common interest such as maritime security, the resilience of our critical infrastructure and foreign interference are among the actions identified for stronger regional peace and security cooperation.
Three pillars
People as a driving force for change, connections and innovation – This includes actions related to the promotion of higher education, vocational training, skills and jobs, youth and civil society empowerment, mobility, culture, tourism and sport, with a strong focus on youth. A Mediterranean University will be a flagship project under this pillar and will connect students from every shore of the Mediterranean. Existing technical and vocational education and training ecosystems will be also scaled up, while under a Heritage mechanism, the EU will promote cultural heritage, support artists, and revive tourism sustainably.
Stronger, more sustainable and integrated economies – This includes actions related to the modernisation of trade and investment relations, boosting energy and clean technologies, water resilience, blue economy and agriculture, digital and transport connectivity, as well as job creation. In this context, a Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy and Clean Tech initiative (T-MED) and StartUp4Med will be among flagship projects of this pillar. Partners will also work on integration of supply chains, including in the health and agriculture sectors, as well as on critical raw materials. An efficient, secure and trusted interconnection of digital infrastructures will bring economies and citizens closer while a more sustainable, and regenerative blue economy of the Mediterranean basin will be fostered.
Security, preparedness and migration management – This includes actions on tackling common security challenges, increasing regional preparedness, and cooperating on a comprehensive approach to migration. Priority initiatives will include Mediterranean disaster preparedness and resilience. A whole-of-route approach to migration management will be promoted as well as a common approach to integrated border management and security, which will include operational partnerships to counter migrant smuggling. A regional forum for the EU and Southern Mediterranean countries on peace and security will be established.
The Pact is also open for engagement with partners beyond the Southern Mediterranean, including the Gulf, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Western Balkans as well as Trkiye. Stepping up cooperation between the EU, the Middle East and North Africa, and the Gulf region is a key objective of the Pact.
Next steps
The Pact is proposed for political endorsement by the EU and southern Mediterranean partners in November 2025 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona process.
The initiatives proposed under the Pact will be transposed into a dedicated Action Plan, which will specify the participating countries and stakeholders for each initiative. The initial Action Plan is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026. The Action Plan will be a living document to which new initiatives can be added over time. Regional organisations, civil society, and youth organisations will be invited to support its implementation while EU institutions will be regularly kept informed about its roll-out.
Background
The Pact is the result of an extensive and inclusive consultation process that engaged a broad range of stakeholders, including southern Mediterranean partners, EU Member States and institutions, neighbouring countries in the wider region, as well as representatives from civil society, the private sector, academia, think tanks, and cultural and economic organisations.
In 1995 the Barcelona Process was launched following the signature of the Barcelona Declaration, for multilateral cooperation with the Mediterranean. In 2021 the Agenda for the Mediterranean, further deepened cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as human development, governance, resilience, climate action, and inclusive economic growth. The related Economic and Investment Plan provided a starting point for how the EU can propose and follow up on concrete initiatives. Today’s Pact aims at continuing the work done in a more coordinated and systematic manner, establishing links to the overall policy framework with a stronger governance, concrete actions and co-ownership.
More information
Joint Communication
Factsheet
The Pact for the Mediterranean
Quote(s)
The geopolitical importance of the Mediterranean cannot be overstated. The region connects three continents and acts as a bridge to the European Union for important exchanges amongst people, our economies and on security. With the new Pact for the Mediterranean we open a new chapter and a chance for more productive cooperation and lasting stability in the region.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission
The Pact is a clear testimony of a renewed focus and commitment of the EU to the Mediterranean region. This Pact is about people: the region’s greatest strength lies in its youth, its creativity, and its talent. The Pact is also about shared prosperity. It will bring new investment opportunities and jobs. We will also invest in security, preparedness and migration management. Close cooperation and co-ownership will make this a success story for our citizens on all shores of the Mare Nostrum.
Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner for the Mediterranean
Speech by President von der Leyen at the EU Covenant of Mayors Ceremony 2025
Dear President Metsola,
Dear President Ttto,
Mayor Péterffy,
Excellencies,
Esteemed members of the Covenant of Mayors,
I would like to start by welcoming the representatives from Ukraine and Moldova in particular. You are here among friends. Your engagement here is proof that you are already building your European future, step-by-step, and project by project, together with us all. Because, let me be clear, the future of both your countries is at the heart of our European Union.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today we celebrate 17 years of the EU Covenant of Mayors. This matters, because it is in your local communities that the pulse of Europe can be felt. Together you represent more than 219 million people. You hear from citizens in the streets, in markets, at school gates – their hopes, concerns, and daily realities. It is this closeness that helps you guide Europe’s direction. Nowhere is this clearer than in protecting nature and fighting climate change. For you, this is not an abstract debate. It means city streets growing hotter each summer. Rivers bursting their banks more often. And schools forced to close due to extreme weather conditions. Stark rain, drought, wildfires. It is communities being reshaped. This covenant has one common goal. It is about doing more together to protect the incredible nature we have across Europe, and the lives that depend on it.
Let me focus on 4 areas: First, reaching our climate ambitions. Let me tell you very clearly: Europe is staying the course. We are on track to meet our 2030 targets. And we will make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. These targets are the compass that keep us on course. But we know we can only achieve them if we stay competitive, if we support people and communities. That is why the clean transformation is at the centre of the next long-term EU budget. The Commission has proposed to dedicate 35% to clean tech, to climate and nature protection. And it is why we want to deepen our cooperation with you. Because the transition happens where people live, in your cities and communities. By the end of this year, we will present a new EU Agenda for Cities. This will propose a direct link between your initiatives – Climate City Contracts, Energy and Adaptation Plans – and EU funding. This approach simply makes sense. We set our direction of travel together. But you help bring it to life, in the ways that work at home. In every community, different individuals and tailormade.
My second point is on: How to adapt to the impacts of climate change? Climate change is already here. You know this better than anyone else. Many of your communities were devastated by floods and wildfires this summer. In those moments of crisis, Europe was there. Almost 800 brave firefighters and rescuers, from all corners of our Union, answered the call. They literally ran towards the flames, to save lives and protect homes. And when the smoke clears and water recedes, Europe is still there. After the devasting floods in Valencia, for example, the EU mobilised nearly EUR 1.6 billion to support reconstruction, to help families rebuild their homes and communities. That is us all working together – it is European solidarity in action. And we all can take pride in it and thank our firefighters for the outstanding work they are doing in every moment for our Union.
But we know that prevention and adaptation are just as important. Here, cities and towns are leading the way with nature-based solutions. From rain gardens in Catania to green oases in Poznan. Together we developed the EU Missions on Adaptation and on Cities. Now we are scaling up these local successes across the continent. And we are learning from you and your best-practise. This is feeding into the European Plan for Climate Resilience that we will present soon. We learn from what works or what does not work in your communities, and this is feeding the plan we are developing. Our goal is to help every single community to access the finance they need to adapt to the challenges of climate change. Yes, the challenges are huge. If you listen to the last reports of science, they are huge. But by working together – and we have shown it before -, we can move mountains. And we are determined to do this.
Third, on innovation. Cities and towns are pioneers in finding concrete solutions. We see incredible innovation happening across Europe. In Copenhagen, windows are being turned into solar panels, transforming buildings into solar stations. In Paderborn, Germany, autonomous electric mini-vehicles are being tested to provide door-to-door services for the elderly. And in Italy, we set up a network of European cities where the first self-driving cars can hit the road. A coalition of 60 Italian mayors have already expressed their interest. This is exciting, and I think this also brings hope. That there are solutions. That there is innovation that leads in the right way. That we can work with nature-based solutions. And there is a potential to overcome these crises.
Local innovations like these are shaping Europe’s future, and we want to help you go even further. We want to make, together with you, your towns and cities hubs of innovation. That is the heart of our EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities. It is unlocking EUR 650 billion in investments so that cities can test new solutions – trial and error, the best will survive -, from clean energy to sustainable transport; the list is long. And then, if you have tested and it has proven well, others can follow your example. Our aim is clear to have 112 climate-neutral cities by 2030. And we are on track. Over 100 cities have approved strategies to make it a reality. Our towns and cities are showing how to lead in those innovations, that turn our ambitions into a reality.
My final point is not about targets or technologies, it is about ensuring people and housing. A home is not just four walls and a roof. It is safety, warmth, a place for family and friends. It is belonging. But for too many Europeans today, home has become a source of anxiety. It can mean debt or uncertainty. Students are giving up their studies because they simply cannot find housing. Nurses, teachers, policemen cannot afford to live in the communities they serve. This is a European challenge, and we must face it together, it needs a European answer. That is why we are launching the European Affordable Housing Plan. It is a European effort, anchored in local solutions. We will allow more room for affordable housing under our State aid rules, to give your communities the flexibility they need to build more affordable homes. And we are working with the European Investment Bank to support local efforts to deliver 1.3 million new or renovated homes across Europe. Because this housing crisis is not about bricks or cement, is about giving people the foundations on which to build their lives. When people have a safe and comfortable place to call home, streets come alive again. Squares, and neighbourhoods can become vibrant again. You know it by experience, better than anyone else. That matters because people need community. They need to live in places that inspire. That is also why we started our New European Bauhaus. The vision of creating beautiful and sustainable spaces, to live in, to work in, and to bring people together. It started as a vision almost six years ago. Today, it has really become a movement, with 700 projects across Europe and beyond, involving more than 1,900 organisations. Because sustainability is not only about cutting emissions or adapting to change. Yes, this is important, and we are staying the course, and you can count on us. But it is also important to build places that are better to live in. It is about togetherness. It is about having the confidence that we can create a better future together. You are working on that every day. And Europe is here with you to make it happen.
Thank you very much for all your work, I highly appreciate it.