The European Commission has approved a €700 million Spanish plan to expand clean technology manufacturing capacity in line with the Clean Industrial Deal. The measure supports strategic investments that will boost Spain’s role in the EU’s transition towards a net-zero economy.
A scheme that provides direct grants for projects that add production capacity in net-zero technologies and their key components.
Open to companies across Spain until 2028, the initiative aims to strengthen competitiveness and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels while advancing renewable energy, hydrogen, and decarbonisation technologies.
Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera stated that the plan will enhance sustainability and industrial growth while maintaining fair market conditions.
An approval that follows the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework, which enables member states to accelerate the rollout of clean technologies and manufacturing across the EU.
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An Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union has said national competition authorities may lawfully seize employee emails during investigations without prior judicial approval. The opinion applies only when a strict legal framework and effective safeguards against abuse are in place.
The case arose after Portuguese medical companies challenged the competition authority’s seizure of staff emails, arguing it breached the right to privacy and correspondence under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The authority acted under authorisation from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the Advocate General, such seizures may limit privacy and data protection rights under Articles 7 and 8 of the Charter, but remain lawful if proportionate and justified. The processing of personal data is permitted under the GDPR where it serves the public interest in enforcing competition law.
The opinion emphasised that access to business emails did not undermine the essence of data protection rights, as the investigation focused on professional communications. The final judgment from the CJEU is expected to clarify how privacy principles apply in competition law enforcement across the EU.
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The European Union will use the COP30 Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil, to reinforce its commitment to a fair and ambitious global clean transition.
The EU aims to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement by driving decarbonisation, promoting renewables, and supporting vulnerable nations most affected by climate change.
President Ursula von der Leyen said the transition is ‘ongoing and irreversible’, stressing that it must remain inclusive and equitable.
Additionally, the EU will call for new efforts to close implementation gaps, limit temperature overshoot beyond 1.5°C, and advance the Global Stocktake outcomes from COP28. It will also promote the global pledges to triple renewable capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030.
A new climate target will commit to cutting net greenhouse gas emissions by between 66.25% and 72.5% below 1990 levels by 2035, on the path to a 90% reduction by 2040.
The EU also supports the creation of a Coalition for Compliance Carbon Markets and increased finance for developing countries through the Baku to Belém Roadmap.
Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said Europe’s climate ambition strengthens both competitiveness and independence. He urged major economies to raise ambition and accelerate implementation to keep the Paris target within reach.
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European politicians and experts gathered in Billund for the conference ‘Towards a Safer and More Innovative Digital Europe’, hosted by the Danish Parliament.
The discussions centred on how to protect citizens online while strengthening Europe’s technological competitiveness.
Lisbeth Bech-Nielsen, Chair of the Danish Parliament’s Digitalisation and IT Committee, stated that the event demonstrated the need for the EU to act more swiftly to harness its collective digital potential.
She emphasised that only through cooperation and shared responsibility can the EU match the pace of global digital transformation and fully benefit from its combined strengths.
The first theme addressed online safety and responsibility, focusing on the enforcement of the Digital Services Act, child protection, and the accountability of e-commerce platforms importing products from outside the EU.
Participants highlighted the importance of listening to young people and improving cross-border collaboration between regulators and industry.
The second theme examined Europe’s competitiveness in emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing. Speakers called for more substantial investment, harmonised digital skills strategies, and better support for businesses seeking to expand within the single market.
A Billund conference emphasised that Europe’s digital future depends on striking a balance between safety, innovation, and competitiveness, which can only be achieved through joint action and long-term commitment.
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The European Commission has approved €2.9 billion in funding for 61 large-scale net-zero technology projects, marking one of the EU’s most significant investments in clean innovation to date.
Financed through revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System, the initiative aims to accelerate Europe’s path towards climate neutrality by 2050.
The selected projects cover 19 industrial sectors across 18 Member States and target areas such as renewable energy, energy storage, zero-emission mobility, and industrial carbon management.
Collectively, they are expected to cut more than 220 million tonnes of CO₂ over the next decade, reinforcing Europe’s global leadership in sustainable technologies instead of relying on imports.
Funded under the Innovation Fund, which draws on an estimated €40 billion in ETS revenues, the initiative highlights the EU’s industrial readiness for decarbonisation. The latest call attracted 359 applications requesting €21.7 billion in support, underscoring the rapid growth of the continent’s cleantech sector.
Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra described the announcement as proof that the EU is turning its climate ambitions into industrial reality, creating green jobs and strengthening economic resilience. The next round of Innovation Fund calls will open in December 2025.
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The European Commission has unveiled RAISE, a new virtual institute designed to unite Europe’s AI research and accelerate scientific breakthroughs.
The launch, announced in Copenhagen, marks a flagship moment in the EU’s strategy to strengthen its leadership in science and technology through collective action.
Funded with €107 million under Horizon Europe, RAISE will bring together Europe’s best resources in data, computing power, and research talent.
An initiative that will help scientists apply AI to pressing challenges such as cancer treatment, climate change, and natural disaster prediction, while promoting innovation that serves humanity instead of commercial interests alone.
RAISE will work with the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking to secure access to AI Gigafactories and will dedicate €75 million to train and attract global researchers through Networks of Excellence.
The Commission also plans to double Horizon Europe’s annual AI investments to more than €3 billion, ensuring that the EU remains a global leader in scientific AI.
A project that reflects the EU’s ambition to achieve technological sovereignty and create an inclusive AI ecosystem. As RAISE grows in phases towards 2034, it will strengthen cooperation among Member States, academia, and industry, setting a benchmark for responsible and innovative AI in science.
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The European Commission has approved the creation of the Digital Commons European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (DC-EDIC), designed to strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty. The new body unites France, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy as founding members.
DC-EDIC aims to build open, interoperable and sovereign digital systems, reducing reliance on imported technologies. Its work will focus on shared data infrastructure, connected public administration and collaborative digital tools to support both governments and businesses.
The Paris-based consortium will coordinate funding access, offer legal and technical guidance, and support the scaling of open-source digital solutions across Europe. Future projects will include a one-stop shop for resources, an expertise hub and a Digital Commons Forum.
All jointly developed software will be released under free, open-source licences, ensuring transparency and reuse whilst being GDPR compliant. The official launch is expected in December 2025, with the first annual State of the Digital Commons report planned for 2027.
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Rights group the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has asked the European Commission to review Ireland’s appointment of former Meta lobbyist Niamh Sweeney to the Data Protection Commission (DPC), alleging the process breaches EU rules on independent regulators. ICCL argues the law requires authorities to be ‘above any suspicion of partiality’.
Sweeney, appointed on 25 September, is now one of three commissioners. Her profile shows roles at Meta from 2015–2021, including leading WhatsApp public policy across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Before that, she lobbied for Facebook in Ireland. ICCL also notes that Leo Moore, a lawyer whose clients include major tech and social media firms, and, according to ICCL, the only panellist with data-protection expertise, sat on the five-member panel that selected Sweeney.
The Commission said it is ‘not empowered to take action with respect to appointments’, indicating the complaint may fall outside its remit. This latest development comes amid growing scrutiny of the DPC. In a previous case on Meta’s behavioural advertising practices, the European Data Protection Board overturned the DPC’s decision not to impose a fine and ordered stricter enforcement measures against the tech giant.
This move is the latest in a series of complaints against the independence of the DPC. More than 40 civil society organisations asked the European Commission to investigate Ireland’s privacy regulator earlier this month.
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Blockchain.com received a MiCA license from Malta’s Financial Services Authority, enabling passported crypto services across all 30 EEA countries under one EU framework. Leaders called it a step toward safer, consistent access.
Malta becomes the hub for scaling operations, citing regulatory clarity and cross-border support. Under the authorisation, teams will expand secure custody and wallets, enterprise treasury tools, and localised products for the EU consumers.
A unified license streamlines go-to-market and accelerates launches in priority jurisdictions. Institutions gain clearer expectations on safeguarding, disclosures, and governance, while retail users benefit from standardised protections and stronger redress.
Fiorentina D’Amore will lead the EU strategy with deep fintech experience. Plans include phased rollouts, supervisor engagement, and controls aligned to MiCA’s conduct and prudential requirements across key markets.
Since 2011, Blockchain.com says it has processed over one trillion dollars and serves more than 90 million wallets. Expansion under MiCA adds scalable infrastructure, robust custody, and clearer disclosures for users and institutions.
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The European Commission has accused Meta and TikTok of breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA), highlighting failures in handling illegal content and providing researchers access to public data.
Meta’s Facebook and Instagram were found to make it too difficult for users to report illegal content or receive responses to complaints, the Commission said in its preliminary findings.
Investigations began after complaints to Ireland’s content regulator, where Meta’s EU base is located. The Commission’s inquiry, which has been ongoing since last year, aims to ensure that large platforms protect users and meet EU safety obligations.
Meta and TikTok can submit counterarguments before penalties of up to six percent of global annual turnover are imposed.
Both companies face separate concerns about denying researchers adequate access to platform data and preventing oversight of systemic online risks. TikTok is under further examination for minor protection and advertising transparency issues.
The Commission has launched 14 such DSA-related proceedings, none concluded.
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