# Commission work programme 2026 + Annex Canonical URL: https://digital-acquis.eu/strategy/commission-work-programme-2026-annex Entry type: strategy Source edition current through: 17 July 2026 (2026-07-17). This is not a page modification date. Status: not recorded. A delivered initiative is not necessarily legislation in force. Document type: Policy Plan (Commission) Release date: 2025-10-21 ## Summary The 2026 work programme sets out planned legislation and policy initiatives across competitiveness, technology, energy and social policy. It includes changes to company rules, innovation and procurement, together with proposals concerning advanced materials, chips, cloud infrastructure, quantum technology and biotechnology. Other work covers product rules, circularity, energy systems, capital markets and competition procedures. Security and border-management measures sit alongside proposals on jobs, labour mobility, education, digital fairness and audiovisual media. Better regulation and intergenerational fairness are also part of this programme, which records indicative timetables and proposed legal bases. ## Sources - [Official source]() - [Annex]() ## Action items (33; complete published list) ### 1. Action item 100001 28th Regime for Innovative Companies (legislative, Articles 50 and 114 TFEU, Q1 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 1. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 2. Action item 100002 European Innovation Act (legislative, Articles 114, 173 and 182 TFEU, Q1 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 2. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 3. Action item 100003 Public Procurement Act (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q2 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 3. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 4. Action item 100004 Advanced Materials Act (legislative, Articles 114 and 173 TFEU, Q4 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 4. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 5. Action item 100005 Cloud and AI Development Act (legislative, Article 114 TFEU) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 5. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 6. Action item 100006 Chips Act (legislative, Articles 114 and 173 TFEU) (Q1 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 6. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 7. Action item 100007 Critical Raw Materials Centre (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q2 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 7. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 8. Action item 100008 European Research Area Act (legislative, Article 182 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 8. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 9. Action item 100009 European Biotech Act II (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 9. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 10. Action item 100010 Quantum Act (legislative, Articles 173, 180 and 184 TFEU, Q2 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 10. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 11. Action item 100011 Circular Economy Act (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 11. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 12. Action item 100012 European Product Act: - Update of the new legislative framework of product rules (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Update of rules on the market surveillance and compliance of products (legislative, Articles 33 and 114 TFEU, Q3 2026) - Update of rules on standardisation (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 12. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 13. Action item 100013 Electrification action plan, including heating and cooling (non-legislative, Q1 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 13. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 14. Action item 100014 Update of the governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action including the phase-out of fossil fuels subsidies (legislative, Articles 192 and 194 TFEU, Q4 2026 Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 14. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 15. Action item 100015 Energy Union package for the decade ahead: - Development of the CO2 transportation infrastructure and markets (legislative, Article 194 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Setting-up of the energy efficiency framework (legislative, Article 194 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Setting-up of the renewable energy framework (legislative, Article 194 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 15. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 16. Action item 100016 Update of rules on shareholder rights (legislative, Articles 50 and 114 TFEU, Q4 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 16. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 17. Action item 100017 Update of the European venture capital funds Regulation (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 17. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 18. Action item 100018 Update of antitrust procedural rules (legislative, Article 103 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 18. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 19. Action item 100019 Communication on better regulation (non-legislative, Q2 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 19. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 20. Action item 100020 European Space Shield – action plan (non-legislative, Q2 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 20. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 21. Action item 100021 Strengthening Frontex (legislative, Articles 77 and 79 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 21. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 22. Action item 100022 Digitalisation of the return process (legislative, Article 79 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 22. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 23. Action item 100023 Strengthening Europol (legislative, Article 88 TFEU, Q2 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 23. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 24. Action item 100024 Creation of a European critical communication system (legislative, Article 87 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 24. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 25. Action item 100025 Quality Jobs Act (legislative, Article 153 TFEU, Q4 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 25. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 26. Action item 100026 - European school alliances and Basic Skills Support Scheme (non-legislative, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 26. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 27. Action item 100027 - 2030 Roadmap on the future of digital education and skills (non-legislative, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 27. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 28. Action item 100028 Fair labour mobility package: - Proposal for a European Social Security Pass (legislative, Article 48 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Strengthen the European Labour Authority (legislative, Articles 46 and 48 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Skills portability initiative (legislative, Articles 46, 53 and 62 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 28. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 29. Action item 100029 Intergenerational fairness strategy (non-legislative, Q1 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 29. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 30. Action item 100030 Digital Fairness Act (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q4 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 30. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 31. Action item 100031 Strengthening Eurojust (legislative, Article 85 TFEU, Q2 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 31. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 32. Action item 100032 Update of rules on audiovisual media services (legislative, Articles 53 and 62 TFEU, Q3 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 32. Digital dimension: not recorded. ### 33. Action item 100033 Action plan against cyberbullying (non-legislative, Q1 2026) Provenance: source document doc-009, paragraph 33. Digital dimension: not recorded. ## Referenced entries - [Advanced Materials Act]() — status: forthcoming. Europe’s competitiveness in the green and digital transitions will depend on its ability to develop, produce and deploy next-generation materials at scale. To achieve this, the Commission will propose an Advanced Materials Act establishing clear framework conditions for the entire value chain; from fundamental research and prototyping to manufacturing and market uptake. The Act will focus on accelerating industrialisation, de-risking private investment and securing resilient supply chains for materials critical to clean technologies, energy, defence and space. By providing a coherent strategic framework, it aims to reduce dependencies, boost technological sovereignty and position Europe as a global leader in advanced materials innovation. Source document doc-009, action item 100004: > Advanced Materials Act (legislative, Articles 114 and 173 TFEU, Q4 2026) - [European Biotech Act 2]() — status: forthcoming. The proposed European Biotech Act aims to make Europe's health-biotechnology sector more competitive through easier funding, quicker regulatory processes and stronger safeguards. It would support industry, manufacturing and research, especially start-ups and SMEs; facilitate AI, data and digital solutions; simplify rules on clinical trials and cell and gene therapies; and introduce biosecurity measures. The Commission says the Act should help patients gain timelier, broader access to treatments and products. In 2026 it will address the wider biotechnology sector. Source document doc-009, action item 100009: > European Biotech Act II (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q3 2026) - [European Innovation Act]() — status: forthcoming. It will create horizontal, Single-Market-wide conditions to accelerate deployment and diffusion of innovation. The law will (i) simplify and make rules more innovation-friendly (incl. regulatory sandboxes), (ii) unlock IP-backed finance and improve access to EU/national funding, (iii) open research & technology infrastructures to companies, (iv) make public/private procurement more supportive of novel solutions, (v) improve commercialisation of publicly funded R&I (i.e. IP, standardisation, certification), (vi) enable talent attraction/retention (e.g. employee ownership schemes), and (vii) establish EU–Member State coordination of innovation policy, helping to close the EU’s innovation gap. Source document doc-009, action item 100002: > European Innovation Act (legislative, Articles 114, 173 and 182 TFEU, Q1 2026) - [Quantum Act]() — status: forthcoming. The Act will make the Quantum Europe Strategy operational, fixing fragmentation by aligning EU and national programmes around a shared RTI agenda and targets. It sets EU-level governance and extends the Chips Joint Undertaking’s remit to quantum technologies, coordinating investments across EU programmes. It anchors a three-stage pipeline—Discover; Lab-to-fab via pilot lines, design tools and standards; Apply & use in lead sectors, while scaling pan-European infrastructures in quantum computing, secure communication (EuroQCI) and sensing. The Act backs skills and industrialisation, strengthens supply chains. It also drives standardisation and interoperability and fosters talent attraction. Source document doc-009, action item 100010: > Quantum Act (legislative, Articles 173, 180 and 184 TFEU, Q2 2026) - [Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA)]() — status: in progress. This law will close Europe’s compute gap by tripling data-centre capacity within 5–7 years and meeting economy-wide needs by 2035, underpinning AI development and sovereign cloud services. It will harmonise cloud policy, set minimum criteria (including for a narrow set of highly critical use cases run on highly secure EU-based cloud), and streamline permitting, site designation and access to energy/water, ensuring geographically balanced rollout. The Act will spur R&I in resource-efficient data centres, enable targeted support consistent with State-aid rules, and complement AI Factories/Gigafactories and the Chips Act ecosystem. Source document doc-009, action item 100005: > Cloud and AI Development Act (legislative, Article 114 TFEU) - [Electrification Action Plan]() — status: delivered. This plan will accelerate cost-effective, system-friendly electrification to lower energy costs, boost competitiveness and cut emissions. It tackles supply and demand across industry, transport and buildings, and will run in parallel with a Heating & Cooling Strategy. Delivery focuses on reliability and flexibility, expanding and digitalising grids, scaling storage and demand response, deepening cross-border integration, and encouraging new demand near clean generation. Policy levers will improve the electricity-to-fossil price ratio (i.e. energy taxation, network tariffs, removing non-energy charges) while mobilising financing, manufacturing capacity and skills along the value chain. Progress will be tracked using KPIs, including raising electricity’s share of final energy toward 32–33% by 2030. Source document doc-009, action item 100013: > Electrification action plan, including heating and cooling (non-legislative, Q1 2026) - [Energy Union Package]() — status: forthcoming. The EU will deepen its Energy Union to deliver affordable, clean energy through stronger governance and integration. Therefore, the Commission will launch an Energy Union Task Force, publish a White Paper on electricity-market integration, revise the Governance Regulation, and present a Clean Energy Investment Strategy, a Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC), and a Fusion Strategy. It will table an Electrification Action Plan, a Roadmap for Digitalisation and AI in the Energy Sector, and a Heating & Cooling Strategy to accelerate electrification, flexibility and efficiency. A revised energy-security framework will enhance stability and resilience, informed by lessons from the energy crisis. Source document doc-009, action item 100015: > Energy Union package for the decade ahead: - Development of the CO2 transportation infrastructure and markets (legislative, Article 194 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Setting-up of the energy efficiency framework (legislative, Article 194 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Setting-up of the renewable energy framework (legislative, Article 194 TFEU, Q3 2026) - [European Critical Communication System (EUCCS)]() — status: forthcoming. The Commission will propose legislation to interconnect Member States’ next-generation critical communications used by police, civil protection, emergency medical, border and security authorities. EUCCS will set harmonised requirements for operational mobility, strong resilience and strategic autonomy, enabling secure cross-border voice/data, priority services and roaming, including satellite back-up via IRIS². It will modernise national systems, ensure interoperability and encrypted communications, and support crisis coordination from terrorism to large-scale disasters. Governance will link with the Preparedness Union’s all-hazards approach and ERCC, with EU-funded pilots building capabilities using European providers. Source document doc-009, action item 100024: > Creation of a European critical communication system (legislative, Article 87 TFEU, Q3 2026) - [Public Procurement Act]() — status: forthcoming. The Commission will overhaul the EU procurement framework to make public spending a strategic lever for competitiveness, security and innovation. The revision will enable sustainability, resilience and European-preference criteria in strategic sectors, while staying consistent with EU and international commitments. It will simplify and digitise procedures, embed once-only data reuse, curb overspecification, and promote innovation-friendly tools (e.g. outcome-based/R&D purchases, clearer IP clauses). Rules will be consolidated across legislation to ease use by all administrations and open tenders to startups and SMEs. Defence and security procurement will be modernised and cross-border aggregation strengthened to create lead markets and scale. Source document doc-009, action item 100003: > Public Procurement Act (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q2 2026) - [2030 Roadmap on the Future of Digital Education and Skills]() — status: forthcoming. The roadmap will steer Europe’s digital education transformation, building on the review of the Digital Education Action Plan. It will promote equal access, build a digital education ecosystem, and forge partnerships with EU-based EdTech. An accompanying AI in Education initiative will set an AI literacy framework, support safe, ethical AI uptake in classrooms, and address online safety, wellbeing and misinformation. The Roadmap complements the Union of Skills and the STEM Plan, enlarging Europe’s AI-capable talent pool. The Digital Competence Framework will be updated by end-2025 to reflect emerging technologies. It will strengthen teacher capacity through targeted support and guidance. Source document doc-009, action item 100027: > - 2030 Roadmap on the future of digital education and skills (non-legislative, Q3 2026) - [European School Alliances]() — status: forthcoming. The programme will knit Europe’s education and innovation fabric into a single, high-performing network. Universities alliances will launch joint programmes (especially in AI, quantum, semiconductors, data and cybersecurity) under a European degree/label, backed by an EU legal status and an investment pathway that secures long-term cooperation, shared infrastructures, and partnerships with business and research. In schools, a 2026 pilot will create European School Alliances to boost pupil and teacher mobility, enable cross-border cooperation between schools and authorities, and serve as testbeds for pedagogy, curricula and competence frameworks. Alliances will help schools become learning organisations focused on mastering basic skills. Source document doc-009, action item 100026: > - European school alliances and Basic Skills Support Scheme (non-legislative, Q3 2026) - [Fair Labour Mobility Package]() — status: forthcoming. The Package will remove frictions to cross-border work while safeguarding rights, making Europe’s labour market more efficient. It will propose a European Social Security Pass for digital verification of entitlements, streamline posting procedures, and clarify social-security coordination for cross-border remote work. The package will strengthen the European Labour Authority’s mandate and data capabilities to improve enforcement and joint inspections. A Skills Portability Initiative will simplify recognition of qualifications and interoperable digital credentials, including for third-country nationals. Together, these measures cut administrative burden for employers and workers, enable service provision, and support talent circulation across the Single Market. Source document doc-009, action item 100028: > Fair labour mobility package: - Proposal for a European Social Security Pass (legislative, Article 48 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Strengthen the European Labour Authority (legislative, Articles 46 and 48 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Skills portability initiative (legislative, Articles 46, 53 and 62 TFEU, Q3 2026) - [Intergenerational Fairness Strategy]() — status: delivered. The Commission will present the first EU-wide strategy to embed long-term, intergenerational perspectives across policymaking. It will: (1) strengthen intergenerational democratic participation and scrutiny; (2) tackle cross-cutting challenges (i.e. climate, housing, fiscal sustainability, skills and lifelong learning) through an intergenerational lens; and (3) empower all ages, combating ageism and protecting children’s rights. The strategy is being co-created via a 2025 four-phase process and may include a monitoring tool for intergenerational fairness. It will align with the Union of Skills agenda and related education actions, ensuring no generation is left behind. It will propose metrics and mainstream youth participation. Source document doc-009, action item 100029: > Intergenerational fairness strategy (non-legislative, Q1 2026) - [Quality Jobs Act]() — status: forthcoming. Developed with EU social partners in 2025, the Quality Jobs Roadmap will set a coherent EU strategy to raise job quality alongside competitiveness. It will back fair wages, high health-and-safety standards, decent working conditions, work-life balance, gender equality and wider collective bargaining; strengthen enforcement of work-related rights; and support access to training and fair job-to-job transitions, drawing on the European Pillar of Social Rights. It will align with the Competitiveness Compass, Union of Skills and the Clean Industrial Deal so decarbonisation creates attractive jobs and regional cohesion, and may announce targeted legislative and non-legislative actions with robust monitoring and evaluation. Source document doc-009, action item 100025: > Quality Jobs Act (legislative, Article 153 TFEU, Q4 2026) - [Skills Portability Initiative (SPI)]() — status: forthcoming. The initiative will remove barriers to cross-border work by making skills and qualifications usable across the Single Market. It will consider a legislative proposal to ease mobility and promote common EU formats for interoperable digital credentials, building on EQF, Europass and ESCO. Recognition in regulated professions will be expanded and modernised using digital tools, while simpler common rules will be explored to recognise third-country nationals’ skills. In parallel, the EU will develop a framework for automatic recognition of qualifications and learning periods in school, VET and higher education, and examine accession to the Lisbon Recognition Convention. Source document doc-009, action item 100028: > Fair labour mobility package: - Proposal for a European Social Security Pass (legislative, Article 48 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Strengthen the European Labour Authority (legislative, Articles 46 and 48 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Skills portability initiative (legislative, Articles 46, 53 and 62 TFEU, Q3 2026) - [Action Plan against Cyberbullying]() — status: delivered. The Commission will present a comprehensive EU approach to prevent, detect and respond to cyberbullying, with a primary focus on minors and youth. It will set a common EU definition, promote national strategies and focal points (e.g. trusted flaggers), and prioritise vulnerable groups including girls and women, LGBTIQ youth, migrants and persons with disabilities. Actions span prevention and digital well-being, safer product design, streamlined reporting and takedown (scaling good practices like France’s App 3018), victim support, and proportionate responses to perpetrators. Delivery will leverage and enforce the DSA, BIK+ and victims/VAW directives, with progress monitored through Safer Internet Centres, BIK policy reports and DSA enforcement. Source document doc-009, action item 100033: > Action plan against cyberbullying (non-legislative, Q1 2026) - [Circular Economy Act (CEA)]() — status: forthcoming. The Act will create a true Single Market for waste and secondary raw materials, boosting supply and demand for quality recyclates at competitive prices. It will harmonise end-of-waste criteria, simplify and expand extended producer responsibility (including a one-stop producer registry), and revise e-waste rules to recover critical materials, while aligning with the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products framework. Public procurement criteria, incentives for scrap use, and digitalised demolition permits will accelerate circular design and recycling. Strong enforcement—including for e-commerce channels—will ensure compliance. Source document doc-009, action item 100011: > Circular Economy Act (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q3 2026) - [Digital Fairness Act (DFA)]() — status: forthcoming. Based on a fitness check of EU consumer law in 2024, the Commission plans to propose a Digital Fairness Act that curbs manipulative design (“dark patterns”), addictive features and subscription traps; clarifies rules for influencer and AI-driven marketing; strengthens protections for minors; and streamlines information duties so consumers face less overload and can cancel easily. Options include amending the Unfair Commercial Practices and Consumer Rights directives or proposing a new regulation, ensuring coherence with the DSA, DMA and the AI Act. It will drive harmonised, high-impact enforcement with clear duties for platforms and advertisers, easy redress for consumers, and deterrent penalties. Source document doc-009, action item 100030: > Digital Fairness Act (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q4 2026) - [EU Inc. – 28th Regime]() — status: in progress. It will create an optional, EU-wide corporate framework—digital by default—to let innovative firms set up, operate, and raise capital seamlessly across borders. The proposal may rely on TFEU Article 352 or a harmonised national form via Articles 50/114, with a progressive, modular design. It targets 48-hour incorporation and “once-only” data sharing via BRIS, EUID, and an EU Company Certificate, leveraging the European Business Wallet. Investment-friendly options under consideration include simpler capital increases, flexible share classes, and standard private-equity terms. Complementing the European Innovation Act, it cuts failure costs, fragmentation, and compliance burdens. Source document doc-009, action item 100001: > 28th Regime for Innovative Companies (legislative, Articles 50 and 114 TFEU, Q1 2026) - [European Product Act (EPA)]() — status: forthcoming. The European Product Act would update three parts of EU product law: the new legislative framework of product rules, market surveillance and compliance, and standardisation. The Commission work programme 2026 schedules the legislative measures for Q3 2026. It cites Article 114 TFEU for the framework and standardisation updates, and Articles 33 and 114 TFEU for market surveillance and compliance. Source document doc-009, action item 100012: > European Product Act: - Update of the new legislative framework of product rules (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q3 2026). - Update of rules on the market surveillance and compliance of products (legislative, Articles 33 and 114 TFEU, Q3 2026) - Update of rules on standardisation (legislative, Article 114 TFEU, Q3 2026) - [European Space Shield]() — status: forthcoming. The European Space Shield is a proposed flagship within the Readiness Roadmap for defence readiness. It would establish and protect a European system of space capabilities for defence purposes, building on EU space systems and national capacities. The roadmap envisages endorsement of the shield as a priority flagship, coordinated prioritisation through space and defence programmes, coordination with Member States' procurement plans, and the shield's launch. Source document doc-009, action item 100020: > European Space Shield – action plan (non-legislative, Q2 2026) ## Current developments Latest updates from Digital Policy Alert and Global Trade Alert. No reviewed developments available; this does not establish that no developments exist. --- [Reading guide and interpretation notes]() · [Methodology]()