In this Policy Triangle, supported by Humane World for Animals, we explore how Europe can modernise its chemical testing framework as part of the upcoming revision of REACH. Policymakers are considering how to update the regulation for the first time in nearly two decades, in light of advances in non-animal safety assessments and the European Commission’s forthcoming roadmap to phase out animal testing.

Since then, questions have emerged about whether Europe can align regulatory frameworks with scientific innovation quickly enough to maintain global leadership. Will tools such as regulatory sandboxes, clear roadmaps and centralised validation processes enable trust and collaboration across stakeholders, or risk falling short of expectations?

Experts from Humane World for Animals, Cefic and the Dutch government debate whether the EU can build a future ready system that protects people and the environment while driving innovation and competitiveness.

In this Euractiv Thought Leadership Interview, Jennifer Baker sits down with Romano Hoofman, Strategic Development Director, imec & EU Chips Design Platform Coordinator and Patrick Pype, Strategic Partnerships Director, NXP, to discuss Europe’s Chips Future — the strategic investments driving the continent’s semiconductor industry and their real-world impact.

They explore why semiconductors are essential for Europe’s sovereignty and competitiveness, how strategic investments are reshaping the landscape, and what tangible results have already been achieved under the EU Chips Act. The discussion looks at:

- Why chips are crucial for Europe’s future and global supply chains
- How the EU Chips Act aims to strengthen Europe’s fabrication and design capacity Ensuring a level playing field for investment with other continents
- How semiconductors contribute to clean energy and power efficiency
- Supporting industrialisation and innovation through EU-level cooperation
- Stimulating new startups and research collaboration to grow Europe’s chip ecosystem

Patrick and Romano share insights on Europe’s progress so far and the next steps needed to translate research excellence into industrial success.

The European Union aims to reach climate neutrality by 2050, with a 55% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Meeting these goals will not only require decarbonising our energy system but also fundamentally transforming industrial production.

As part of its efforts to decarbonise energy-intensive industries, the European Commission is designing the legislative proposal Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA). The IAA will build on the provisions of the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) to speed up permitting procedures and the clean transition in these sectors while maintaining competitiveness. Part of the strategy is to create markets that drive early demand for low-carbon products in the EU. Called “Green Lead Markets”, these markets aim to create strong, policy-backed demand for products made with clean technologies, notably hydrogen-based products, in sectors like steel, fertilisers, chemicals, and transport.

The goal of Green Lead Markets is to actively stimulate the market for green products through different measures and lead to cost reductions. Those include carbon footprint labels, green public procurement, and buyer obligations, supporting industrial competitiveness while reducing emissions. However, criticisms of Green Lead Markets remain, for instance on the high cost of green products. Some argue that the EU has an opportunity to become the global standard-setter for low-carbon products, but achieving this will need coordinated market strategies, investment, and regulation.

Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to explore Green Lead Markets and the potential they hold for driving industrial decarbonisation across the EU. Questions to be discussed include:

- What is the role of Green Lead Markets in decarbonising industries in the EU?

- How can the EU ensure Green Lead Markets create lasting demand for green products? What role will the upcoming IAA play in this?

- How will Green Lead Markets help Europe stay competitive?

The EU-US trade deal introduced during President Trump's administration marks a turning point for transatlantic economic relations, with direct consequences for Europe’s highly integrated industrial value chains. While the agreement promises greater predictability and tariff reduction in some sectors, lingering disputes over standards, subsidies, and state support continue to create uncertainty for European exporters.

In addition, the United States imposed in August 2025 new tariffs that are far higher than this 15% on a broad range of industrial products, in the context of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium derivatives. About 40% of US machinery imports from the EU are now subject to a 50% tariff on the metal content of the product. Moreover, it leads to additional bureaucracy. It is impossible for companies to find out where steel was cast and aluminium melted for each part. That is why some companies have stopped exports completely to the United States. These dynamics are particularly acute in industries where global competitiveness relies on innovation, scale, and stable market access.

European industrial exporters—especially manufacturers of machinery and hightech equipment—are facing increasing challenges as access to key markets like the United States and China becomes more restricted. Some stakeholders believe that Europe’s current trade strategy might not be fit for purpose. Considering this, industrial policy and trade diplomacy will be central in shaping Europe’s response to these challenges. These could strengthen the EU’s capacity for innovation, resilience, and sustainability, ensuring that European manufacturers remain competitive despite shifting global value chains.

Beyond the transatlantic relationship, the EU’s ability to deepen collaboration with other global actors such as China, India, and Mercosur will be essential. These partnerships not only offer alternative growth markets for European industrial goods but also serve as testing grounds for advancing fair trade practices or sustainability standards.

Listen to this Euractiv Virtual Conference to explore the implications of the recent EU-US trade deal and assess its impact on Europe’s export-oriented industrial sector. Questions to be addressed include:
- What is the current state of transatlantic trade in industrial goods?
- What is the impact of the US tariffs on steel and aluminum derivatives and on key EU industrial sectors?
- How are European machine manufacturers adapting to market pressures?
- What is the role of emerging EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Mercosur, India, and other actors?
- Could these FTAs compensate for losses in traditional markets like the US?

How can artistic expression and immersive experiences deepen our understanding of the ocean? Euractiv's Xhoi Zajmi and Embodied Sounds' Joshua Sam Miller explore how art meets ocean advocacy, connecting communities in meaningful ways.

After the International Maritime Organization (IMO) voted to postpone the adoption of its Net Zero Framework by 12 months, stakeholders fear that global shipping could enter another year without clear direction. For Europe’s shipping and energy sectors to hit fast-forward, the months ahead will be pivotal in proving that clear policy direction and coordinated investment can deliver both climate ambition and industrial competitiveness.

This pause on the global stage puts the spotlight on Europe. The EU is tasked with doubling its efforts to modernise and decarbonise the maritime sector by working to ensure that the transition to clean fuels is not only possible, but economically viable.

Policymakers and industry are now faced with translating the IMO's global climate ambition into practical measures that safeguard Europe’s competitiveness - by ensuring a sufficient and affordable supply of sustainable fuels, upgrading port infrastructure across Member States, and supporting shipowners in adopting new technologies. These steps will be key in keeping Europe at the forefront of maritime innovation and industrial leadership.

Among alternative fuels, clean ammonia is gaining momentum as a zero-carbon energy carrier. Produced using renewable and low-carbon energy, ammonia emits no carbon when combusted, and benefits from an existing global production and trade network. Leveraging this infrastructure can help reduce costs and accelerate the transition to cleaner fuels – provided that production, safety, and environmental standards are robustly managed.

Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss how Europe can turn the IMO’s delay into an opportunity for leadership, and to explore the role of ammonia in decarbonising the maritime sector - from global regulation to EU implementation.

How can ocean literacy empower citizens, shape policy, and inspire collective action to protect Europe’s seas? Euractiv’s Xhoi Zajmi speaks with Adeline Plé from the Surfrider Foundation Europe and Eliane Vera Paz from Atlantic Cities, to understand how our connection to the ocean can drive meaningful change.

Under the framework of the Spain Digital Week, the first-ever initiative in Brussels that activates policy convenings (both public and private) on the role of the Spanish community in shaping the European Union’s economic and digital policy agenda, Adigital -the Spanish Association for the Digital Economy-, through its Permanent Office in Brussels, organizes this public policy conference on the relevant issue of economic competitiveness and digitalization as the main driver, with EURACTIV as its European Media Partner.

This Policy Conference focuses on boosting economic competitiveness through digitalization and strategic investments. It explores the connections between the Multiannual Financial Framework and the proposal for the European Competitiveness Fund, the Startup and Scaleup Strategy, and Competitiveness Compass to deliver concrete policy options for accelerating digital investments and strengthening Europe’s tech strategic autonomy, by creating a clear, agile governance framework that secures Europe’s leadership in the global digital economy.

Organised by: Adigital
Media Partner: Euractiv