European Commission - Daily News Daily News 27 / 03 / 2026 Brussels, 27 March 2026 Commission takes action to ensure complete and timely transposition of EU directive The European Commission is taking action against several EU Member States that have failed to notify the Commission of measures they have adopted to transpose EU directives into their national laws. The deadline to transpose these directives has expired...
European Commission - Daily News Daily News 27 / 03 / 2026 Brussels, 27 March 2026 Commission takes action to ensure complete and timely transposition of EU directive The European Commission is taking action against several EU Member States that have failed to notify the Commission of measures they have adopted to transpose EU directives into their national laws. The deadline to transpose these directives has expired recently. The Commission is sending a letter of formal notice to these Member States, giving them two months to reply and complete the transposition of the directives. If they fail to do so, the Commission may pass to a next step and issue a reasoned opinion. The Commission is urging them to take immediate action to bring their laws in line with EU requirements. More information in our press release . (For more information: Arianna Podestà – Tel.: +32 2 298 70 24; Kristyna Eeckels – Tel.: +32 2 295 10 65) Commission approves €144 million French State aid to support HyforSeeds in the production of hydrogen The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €144 million French measure to support HyforSeeds to produce renewable and low-carbon hydrogen for the fertiliser sector. The measure will contribute to achieving the targets of the EU Hydrogen Strategy and the Renewable Energy Directive for the use of hydrogen in industry. The project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70% compared to traditional fossil-based hydrogen production methods, which will avoid the release of over 46,000 tonnes of CO 2 per year. The aid will take the form of a direct grant and will cover part of the investment costs related to the project, including the construction of the electrolyser and other necessary infrastructure. The Commission found that the measure will promote the development of a strategic economic activity, namely the production of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen , and has an ‘incentive effect' . The Commission also concluded the aid has a limited impact on competition and trade within the EU, is necessary , appropriate , proportionate , and limited to the minimum necessary. Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera , said: " This measure will support the development of an ambitious electrolyser project, which will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the EU's climate objectives. The project will also promote the use of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen in the production of ammonia and fertilisers, which is an important step towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly industry ". A press release is available online. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschütz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83) Commission approves €500 million Luxembourgish cleantech manufacturing capacity State aid scheme The European Commission has approved a €500 million Luxembourgish scheme to support strategic investments that add clean technology (cleantech) manufacturing capacity, in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal . This measure will contribute to the transition towards a net-zero economy. The scheme was approved under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) adopted by the Commission on 25 June 2025 . The purpose of the scheme is to grant aid for investments that add manufacturing capacity for the production, including with secondary raw materials, of the final products and the main specific components like solar technologies, wind technologies, heat pumps or battery technologies. The scheme will also grant aid for the production of new or recovered related critical raw materials necessary for the production of those final products or main specific components. Under the scheme, the aid will take the form of direct grants . The measure will be open to companies in the whole territory of Luxembourg and aid may be granted until 31 December 2030. The Commission concluded that the Luxembourgish scheme is necessary , appropriate and proportionate to accelerate the transition towards a net-zero economy and facilitate the development of certain economic activities, which are of importance for the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal. Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera , said: “ This is the first CISAF scheme approved for a small Member State. A budget of €500 million is available for additional cleantech manufacturing capacity in Luxembourg. The direct grants under this scheme will help companies make key investments in the coming years ”. A press release is available online. (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschütz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83) Commission approves new geographical indications from Italy and Türkiye This week, the European Commission has approved the addition of ‘ Erbazzone Reggiano ' from Italy and ‘Kayseri Pastırması ' from Türkiye as Protected Geographical Indications (PGI). ‘Erbazzone Reggiano' is a herb-filled pie from the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. It consists of two layers of dough and a filling of spinach, chard, breadcrumbs, and Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, which aged for at least 24 months. The pie's upper crust is sprinkled with crispy lardons. Whether round or rectangular, cooked or frozen, ‘Erbazzone Reggiano' embodies the culinary heritage of a region renowned for its gastronomic excellence. Its reputation is deeply rooted in local tradition, with widespread recognition in Italian media, cookbooks, and food festivals. ‘Kayseri Pastırması' is a spiced and air-dried beef pastrami from the Kayseri province in central Türkiye. This flat, marbled meat product is renowned for its dominant cumin and fenugreek flavour, achieved through curing and drying in the unique autumn winds of Mount Erciyes, locally known as the ‘Pastırma Summer'. The meat, sourced from specific cuts of mature cattle, is coated in a spiced fenugreek paste, giving it a brown exterior and reddish interior. Sliced or whole, ‘Kayseri Pastırması' has been celebrated since the 17th century and remains a cornerstone of Turkish culinary identity. These new designation join the more than 3,900 protected names already listed in the eAmbrosia database. More information is available on the Quality Policy pages . (For more information: Louise Bogey – Tel.: +32 2 296 97 76; Kateřina Horáková - Tel.: +32 2 299 93 10) ANNOUNCEMENTS Commissioner Hoekstra in Rome to discuss EU's clean transition and competitiveness Next Monday and Tuesday, 30 and 31 March, Commissioner for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth, Wopke Hoekstra , will be in Rome, Italy, to discuss the EU's clean transition and competitiveness with government representatives. On Monday, the Commissioner will meet with Italian Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani. In the afternoon, he will hold bilateral meetings with the Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, and the Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti. On Tuesday, Commissioner Hoekstra will start the day with an exchange with Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, with a focus on the nexus between climate policies and security. He will later attend parliamentary hearings of EU affairs, environment and industrial committees from both the Italian Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The afternoon will be dedicated to meeting students of the LUISS Guido Carli University, where the Commissioner will deliver a keynote speech and participate in a Q&A session. He will then meet representatives of the Energy Dome project, a first-of-a-kind large scale and long duration energy storage facility using an innovative CO2 Battery technology. More information about the visit is available in the Commissioner's calendar . (For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Ana Crespo Parrondo – Tel.: +32 2 298 13 25) 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 MEX/26/741
Speech Brief