The Commission confirms a positive preliminary assessment for payments of 1.18 billion and 128 million euros to the Netherlands and Denmark under NextGenerationEU
The Commission has given a positive preliminary assessment on the payment request from the Netherlands for 1.18 billion euros and from Denmark for 128 million euros under NextGenerationEU, a central lever for Europes recovery aimed at building a greener, more digital, and more competitive Union.
In the Netherlands, this assessment follows the implementation of seven reforms covering environmental taxation, residential construction procedures, aggressive tax planning, and establishing a priority framework for investments in the electricity grid. It also relies on ten investments, notably in green hydrogen, pig farm conversions, vocational training, rail traffic management, smart road service areas, digitization of criminal justice, and intensive care units in hospitals.
In Denmark, it is based on the implementation of two reforms and five investments that bring tangible benefits to citizens and businesses. These measures cover health, digitization, green taxation, industrial site rehabilitation, carbon capture and storage, and investments in research and development.
The Commission concluded that the Netherlands and Denmark have met the milestones and targets required for these payments, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the main instrument of NextGenerationEU.
The Commission has sent its preliminary assessments to the Economic and Financial Committee, which has four weeks to give its opinion. After favorable opinions, the Commission can adopt the payment decisions allowing the disbursement of 1.18 billion euros to the Netherlands and 128 million euros to Denmark.
More information is available online.
(For more information: Maciej Berestecki – Tel.: +32 229-66483; Quentin Cortes - Tel.: +32 229 13283)
Commission seeks feedback on the future EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy
Today, the Commission has launched a call for evidence, inviting all interested stakeholders to contribute to the future EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy. The strategy will improve conditions for innovative startups and scaleups, enabling faster and simpler growth within the Single Market. It will address challenges such as access to finance, markets and talent, as well as regulatory and bureaucratic hurdles and market fragmentation. It will also facilitate access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, knowledge and services.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, said: “We must vigorously confront the obstacles startups face when they want to grow and scale up across the EU. They are the backbone of innovation and key to our competitiveness and prosperity. We want to hear from innovators, businesses, investors, policymakers, researchers, universities and all interested parties, to shape an effective and comprehensive strategy to support our startups and scaleups.”
Supporting startups and scaleups, and boosting research and innovation, are among the Commissions priorities to close the innovation gap and enhance competitiveness.
The EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy is a flagship action of the Competitiveness Compass, introduced in January 2025. It will lead to tangible measures, including the future European Innovation Act and a new EU-wide legal status, known as the ‘28th regime, that will provide a harmonised set of rules to help innovative companies grow.
The Call for Evidence is available on the Commissions ‘Have your Say portal in all official EU languages. Submissions are open until 17 March.
You can find more information online.
(For more information: Thomas Regnier — Tel. + 32 2 299 10 99; Nika Blazevic — Tel. + 32 2 299 27 17)
The Commission authorizes a French State aid scheme of 500 million euros for investments in hedgerows and intra-plot trees
The European Commission has authorized, under EU State aid rules, a French aid scheme of 500 million euros to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises active in primary agricultural production to plant hedgerows and intra-plot trees to adapt their farms to climate change conditions.
Under this scheme, aid will take the form of direct grants or subsidized services. The scheme will apply until 31 December 2030. The notified scheme aims to massify the planting of hedgerows and intra-plot trees, thereby strengthening sustainable agricultural production. Thus, the measure aims to protect the environment and biodiversity and supports the achievement of the Unions environmental and climate objectives.
The Commission assessed the scheme under the EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the TFEU, which allows Member States to support the development of certain economic activities under certain conditions, and the guidelines on State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas. The Commission found that the measure is necessary and appropriate to promote investments in a sector where the context is not conducive to new investments due to climate change-related risks. Moreover, the Commission found that the scheme is proportionate, as it is limited to the minimum necessary, and would have a limited impact on competition and trade between Member States. On this basis, the Commission authorized the French scheme under EU State aid rules.
The non-confidential version of the decision will be published under case number SA.117248 in the State aid register on the Commissions competition website, once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.
(For more information: Lea Zuber – Tel: +32 2 295 62 98; Sara Simonini - Tel.: +32 2 298 33 67)