The European Commission has adopted a Communication on a new Strategic Approach to Research and Innovation for competitive, resilient and sustainable agriculture, forestry, rural areas and food systems. The Communication brings together two frameworks: AgRI 2040, covering agriculture, forestry and rural areas, and Food 2040, covering food systems, including fisheries and aquaculture, to guide future research, innovation, deployment and uptake across the agri-food sector. Both frameworks are intended to be deployed under Horizon Europe 2028–34 and relevant parts of the European Competitiveness Fund. Six shared priorities underpin the frameworks: (1) competitiveness, startups and scaleups; (2) food security, resilience and preparedness; (3) natural resources and circularity; (4) food and feed safety, nutrition and health; (5) fairness and (6) global co-operation. The Communication contributes to the objectives of the Vision for Agriculture and Food and the Strategy for European Life Sciences and complements the EU Bioeconomy Strategy. As a next step, the EU AgRI 2040 Conference will take place in Brussels on 24 and 25 September 2026.

The European Commission has adopted a Delegated Regulation with regard to correcting Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2055 supplementing Directive (EU) 2015/2366 (PSD2) with regard to regulatory technical standards (RTS) for the co-operation and exchange of information between competent authorities relating to the exercise of the right of establishment and the freedom to provide services of payment institutions.

The European Commission has adopted a decision under the EU budget general regime of conditionality, which finds that Hungarian law notified to the Commission on 2 December 2024 is not sufficient to address risks of conflicts of interest in the boards of ‘public interest trusts’. This follows an implementing decision adopted by the Council of the EU in December 2022 which set out measures to protect the EU budget from breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary in the areas of public procurement, prosecutorial action, conflict of interest, the fight against corruption and the public interest trusts. On 2 December 2024, Hungary notified the Commission about specific legislative amendments regarding public interest trusts and requested that the Commission proposed the Council adapts or lifts the measures adopted in 2022. However, the Commission found that the amendments do not adequately address the outstanding concerns and conflicts of interest on the boards of public interest trusts and thus, the measures should remain in place. The Commission also outlined adaptations that would be required to remedy the situation.

The European Commission has adopted a delegated regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 (the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF)). The regulation establishes certification methodologies for three carbon farming activities: (1) agriculture and agroforestry on mineral soils; (2) rewetting and restoration of peatlands and other organic soils and (3) afforestation. These activities support the EU's climate neutrality objective by 2050 and deliver co-benefits for biodiversity, soil health, landscape resilience and long-term food security. The methodologies cover additionality tests, baseline calculation, liability mechanisms and sustainability co-benefits, with an uncertainty deduction factor of at least 10% aligned with Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism standards. An activity-specific baseline applies pending the development of a standardised baseline, subject to downward adjustment for agricultural soil emissions over time. A transitional derogation from the incentive effect requirement applies for operators who began activities between 2023 and 2027. Certification schemes may apply for recognition of compliance once the regulation enters into force, 20 days after publication in the Official Journal.

The European Commission has adopted two delegated regulations with regard to the regulatory technical standards (RTS) specifying the characteristics of liquidity management tools (LMTs) under Directive 2009/65/EC (EU UCITS) and under Directive 2011/61/EU (EU AIFMD). The Delegated Regulations will enter into force on the twentieth day following that of their publication in the EU's Official Journal. They shall apply from 16 April 2026.

The European Commission has adopted a Delegated Regulation setting out a lifecycle-based methodology to assess greenhouse gas emission savings from low-carbon hydrogen and fuels, as required by Article 9(5) of the Hydrogen and Gas Market Directive. The methodology requires a 70 percent reduction in emissions compared to unabated fossil fuels and will apply to EU and non-EU producers. The aim is to provide legal certainty, support investment, and help decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors in line with the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality target. The Act will now be scrutinised by the European Parliament and Council, who have two months—extendable by another two months—to accept or reject the proposals before entry into force.

The European Commission has adopted an implementing regulation establishing rules for joint clinical assessments of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices under Regulation (EU) 2021/2282 (Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Regulation). The implementing regulation provides detailed procedural rules covering cooperation between the Member State Coordination Group on Health Technology Assessment and the Commission with Notified Bodies and expert panels, interaction protocols with health technology developers and stakeholders, general procedural rules for stakeholder consultation, and standardised formats for dossiers and assessment reports. This represents the sixth and final implementing regulation required for proper application of the HTA Regulation, which became applicable on 12 January 2025. The regulation will be published in the Official Journal from 20 October 2025, with nine joint clinical assessments currently ongoing for new cancer medicines and advanced therapy medicinal products.

The European Commission has adopted the first set of voluntary certification methodologies under the carbon removals and carbon farming (CRCF) Regulation (EU) 2024/3012, establishing EU-wide standards for certifying activities that permanently remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. The methodologies cover three types of permanent carbon removal activities: direct air capture with carbon storage, biogenic emissions capture with carbon storage, and biochar carbon removal. They define how removals are quantified, how permanence must be ensured and how risks such as leakage and liability are addressed.

The European Commission adopted Recommendations (EU) 2026/1001, 2026/1007, 2026/1008 and 2026/1009 to strengthen protections for vulnerable energy consumers, support the transition away from natural gas, expand citizen participation in renewable energy markets and improve the resilience of EU electricity and gas suppliers. Recommendation (EU) 2026/1001, adopted by the Commission with Dan Jørgensen acting for the Commission, calls on Member States to protect vulnerable households and those in energy poverty from energy disconnections through measures including seasonal disconnection bans, payment plans, debt-management support, supplier-of-last-resort arrangements and early-warning systems to identify households at risk of non-payment. The Recommendation also sets out guidance on managing the phase-out of natural gas networks, including long-term planning, consumer engagement, support for clean heating alternatives and safeguards against excessive tariff increases for households remaining connected to gas networks.

The European Commission has adopted the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) of 19 January 2024, amending the implementing technical standards (ITS) laid down in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/2070 as regards benchmark portfolios, reporting templates and reporting instructions for the reporting referred to in Article 78(2) of the EU Capital Requirements Directive 2013/36/EU (EU CRD IV). The Implementing Regulation will apply 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the EU (OJ).

The European Commission has adopted Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2358, which introduces transparency standards for certification schemes and establishes rules for appointing and supervising certification bodies under Regulation (EU/2024/3012) Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation. The regulation aims to create a voluntary European market for carbon credits by setting harmonised monitoring and reporting standards. The Commission announced three initiatives under its new Bioeconomy Strategy: an EU Buyers' Club for carbon credits, an EU Carbon Farming Database, and a Carbon Storage in Buildings methodology planned for 2026. Two delegated regulations covering permanent carbon removals and carbon farming methodologies are being finalised for adoption in 2026. Applications for certification scheme recognition will begin in early 2026, with successful schemes receiving five-year recognition periods. The Commission will host workshops in the first half of 2026 to develop the EU Buyer's Club further.

The European Commission has adopted an implementing regulation under the Waste Shipments Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/1157), establishing rules for the Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS). DIWASS will become mandatory for all intra-EU waste shipments from 21 May 2026. It will digitise procedures for both notified and green-listed waste shipments, serving as a central system for authorities and economic operators without digital tools, as well as an information exchange hub between local and commercial systems operated by certain Member State authorities and commercial software used by businesses. The Commission will publish technical documentation and user instructions by the end of 2025, with training sessions for national authorities planned for late 2025. The system aims to replace current paper-based procedures and, in the future, may also be used voluntarily by non-EU countries for shipments involving at least one EU Member State.