Energy 

Energy policy is at the hart of the climate transition. The Renewable Energy Directive III with new ambitious goals on RE and CCUS including for the transport sector and in heating and cooling, the revised ETS framework of the Fit for 55 package and Emissions Trading System 2 covering fuel combustion in buildings, road transport and additional sectors... but also the geopolitically inspired REPowerEU Plan, are the drivers behind new business creation in the energy industry. 

Under the recently revised Renewable Energy Directive bioenergy can be counted towards the renewable energy targets – provided that it meets strict sustainability criteria designed to ensure that a rise in biomass doesn’t lead to a decline in biodiversity and valuable forest sinks.

New initiatives are continuously being developed: the EU renewable energy financing mechanism is established to bolster cross-border RE cooperation, new discussions on small modular nuclear reactors (SMR), ...

Manufacturing and tech

With the European industrial strategy the EU aims to ensure that European industry can continue to lead the way in the green and digital age. This through a more resilient single market, open strategic autonomy and an acceleration of the twin transitions. In 2023 an Green Deal industrial plan was added, with 4 pillars: a regulatory reform (Net-Zero Industry Act, Critical Raw Materials, reform of the electricity market design), improved funding access, a skills agenda and an open trade initiative that supports resilient supply chains. With a chips act, the ambition is the development of an industrial base that can double the EU’s global market share in semiconductors from 10% to at least 20% by 2030.

Mobility transition

Whereas the EU Mobility Package 3 had a strong focus on safety, the 2023 Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy is all about green and digital transformation and becoming more resilient to future crises. Building on prior legislation, the EU in 2023 strengthened the CO₂ emission performance standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles in line with the European Union’s increased climate ambitions, and a 100% reduction target is set for both cars and vans from 2035 onwards.Currently under discussion in the European Parliament is the CO2 reduction framework for heavy-duty vehicles, amending the Regulation 2019/1242.

With the Alternatives Fuels Infrastructure Regulation new targets, pricing and transparency rules as well as technical and data requirements were set for the roll-out of infrastructure for different zero-emission transport modes.

Aerospace and defence

The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) enables the EU to take a leading role in peace-keeping operations, conflict prevention and in the strengthening of the international security. 

The strategy is complemented by the implementation plan on security and defence, which was endorsed by the European Council in December 2016. 

As a result, amongst others, a Permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) was set up, aimed at joint capacity building between member states, and the €8 billion European Defence Fund became operational, for the funding of joint, cross-border military R&D.

Digital industry

The purpose of the Digital Markets Act is to ensure a level playing field for all digital companies, lay down clear rules for big platforms and improve interoperability between messaging platforms. With the Digital service act, the EU wants to give people more control over what they see online, improve the removal of illegal content and make sure that products sold online are. 

Another key pillar of the European strategy for data, is the Data Governance Act seeking to increase trust in data sharing, strengthen mechanisms to increase data availability and overcome technical obstacles to the reuse of data. The Data Act complements the Data Governance Act and will ensure fairness in the digital environment, stimulate a competitive data market, open opportunities for data-driven innovation and make data more accessible for all.

The General Data Protection Regulation of 2016 (GDPR) is already the toughest privacy and security law in the world imposing obligations onto organizations anywhere, so long as they target or collect data related to people in the EU. The regulation was put into effect on May 25, 2018.

Cyber security

The Network and Information Security directive (NIS2) introduces new rules to advance a high common level of cybersecurity across the EU – both for companies and countries. It also strengthens cybersecurity requirements for medium-sized and large entities that operate and provide services in key sectors.  NIS2will set tighter cybersecurity obligations for risk management, reporting obligations and information sharing. The requirements cover incident response, supply chain security, encryption and vulnerability disclosure, among other provisions. More entities and sectors will have to take measures to protect themselves. “Essential sectors” such as the energy, transport, banking, health, digital infrastructure, public administration and space sectors will be covered by the new security provisions. The directive entered into force January 2023.

The pending proposal for a regulation on cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements, known as the Cyber Resilience Act, aims to bolster cybersecurity rules to ensure more secure hardware and software products.