EUROGROUP,COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Thursday, 13 November 2025

● Council of the EU   13/11/2025 15:45 | Press release | Customs: Council takes action to tackle the influx of small parcels   The Council today took action to tackle the influx of small parcels that are currently not liable for customs duties into the EU - a problem that leads to unfair competition for EU sellers and raises environmental concerns. “I am very pleased that we have reached an agreement on eliminating the €150 customs threshold. We ensure that duties are paid from the first euro, creating a level playing field for European businesses and limiting the influx of low-cost goods. We also agreed on the need to work towards a temporary solution as soon as possible in 2026.” — Stephanie Lose, Danish minister for economic affairs Eliminating the customs duty threshold As a long-term measure, EU finance ministers agreed to abolish a rule allowing goods worth under €150 to enter the EU without customs duties being paid. With this change, relevant customs duties will apply to all goods entering the EU, bringing the system into line with existing rules for value-added tax on imported goods. The new rule will start applying once the EU customs data hub, the proposed EU central platform for interacting with customs and strengthening controls, is up and running - currently expected in 2028. The hub is currently under negotiation between the Council and the European Parliament as part of a broader fundamental reform of the EU customs framework. Its capabilities, which will enable calculation and notification of customs debt on a per-item basis, will allow customs authorities across the EU to apply the full customs regime to small packages entering the EU. As a result of the current rule, estimates show that up to 65% of small parcels entering the EU are undervalued to avoid customs duties on import. Aside from its effect on the competitiveness of EU companies, the threshold has also raised environmental concerns, given the incentive for non-EU companies to split shipments into individual parcels when sending goods into the Union. According to the Commission, 91% of all e-commerce shipments valued under €150 came from China in 2024. Transitional solution until 2028 Due to the urgency of the situation, the Council also made a commitment today to work towards a simple, temporary solution to levy customs duties on such goods as soon as possible in 2026 and until the customs data hub becomes operational in 2028. Work to develop the solution will continue in the coming weeks. EU customs: Council agrees position on key features for a more modern, efficient and secure framework (press release, 27 June 2025) The EU customs union (background information)   Visit the website

● Council of the EU

13/11/2025 17:58 | Media advisory | UPDATE - Press briefing - Agriculture and Fisheries Council of 17 November 2025   The "off the record" press briefing ahead of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council will take place on Friday, 14 November 2025 at 14.30. The press briefing will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either remotely or in person at the Europa building press room. To attend the event remotely, please use this link to register and have the possibility to ask questions. Those who already registered for previous press events of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council do not need to do it again. Deadline for registration: Friday, 14 November 2025 at 13.30 Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline.   Visit the website

● Council of the EU

13/11/2025 12:42 | Press release | EU-UK relations: Council greenlights negotiations on agri-food deal and linking emissions trading systems   Today, the Council formally authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the UK on an agreement for a common sanitary and phytosanitary area (SPS) and to link greenhouse emissions trading systems (ETS). The aim of the SPS agreement is to reduce the burden of trading agricultural products between the EU and the UK by aligning sanitary and phytosanitary rules. Linking ETS would facilitate trading of emissions allowances between the EU and the UK, contribute to the common sustainability goals and avoid carbon leakage between the two parties. The envisaged agreements are a follow-up to the EU-UK summit and the ensuing Common Understanding agreed between the Commission and the UK government on 19 May 2025. “Last May we agreed with the UK to open a new chapter in our relationship. With today’s decision, we now set out to deliver concrete results. Agreement on these areas will lead to important reductions in the burdens faced by businesses in both the EU and in the UK and will benefit our consumers. We therefore approach negotiations with a hope that they can be finalised swiftly.” — Marie Bjerre, Minister for European affairs of Denmark Common sanitary and phytosanitary area An SPS agreement would align Great Britain’s sanitary and phytosanitary standards with those of the EU, removing the need for most certificates and checks on animals, plants, and related products moving between Great Britain and the EU. Through the Windsor Framework, these benefits would also apply to movements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, while preserving Northern Ireland’s dual access to both the EU single market and the UK internal market. Linking emissions trading systems (ETS) The agreement should comprehensively cover how the linked ETS systems operate, clearly define the sectors included - such as electricity and industrial heat generation, industry, and domestic and international aviation and maritime transport - and establish a process for adding additional sectors in the future to prevent carbon leakage and ensure fair competition. Linking the UK and EU ETS would allow goods from both parties to qualify for mutual exemptions from each side’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM). Next steps Following today’s adoption of the Council decision, the Commission is authorised to open negotiations with the UK on the agreements in question. Once negotiations are finalised, the agreements will have to be endorsed by the Council before they can enter into force. Background The EU-UK Common Understanding agreed at the EU-UK summit of 19 May 2025 states that a functioning sanitary and phytosanitary area would address many of the issues raised in respect of the movement of agri-food products. The Common Understanding also states that linking ETS would allow goods from both jurisdictions to qualify for mutual exemptions from each side’s CBAM provided they meet the relevant legal requirements. EU-UK Summit, 19 May 2025 General Affairs Council, 18 March 2025 Relations with the UK (background information)   Visit the website ● Συμβούλιο της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης   13/11/2025 12:31 | Δελτίο τύπου | Χημικά: Πράσινο φως από το Συμβούλιο για νομοθετική δέσμη που εξορθολογίζει τις αξιολογήσεις χημικής ασφάλειας   Το Συμβούλιο εξέδωσε σήμερα τυπικά τη νομοθετική δέσμη «μία ουσία, μία αξιολόγηση» (OSOA). Οι νέοι κανόνες εξορθολογίζουν την προσέγγιση της ΕΕ όσον αφορά την αξιολόγηση των χημικών προϊόντων και μειώνουν το χάσμα μεταξύ του προσδιορισμού ενός πιθανού κινδύνου και της αναγκαίας ρυθμιστικής δράσης, οδηγώντας τελικά σε καλύτερη και ταχύτερη προστασία της ανθρώπινης υγείας και του περιβάλλοντος. Η δέσμη OSOA βελτιώνει επίσης την ποιότητα, τη συνέπεια και την αποτελεσματικότητα των αξιολογήσεων χημικής ασφάλειας σε ολόκληρη τη νομοθεσία της ΕΕ, συμπεριλαμβανομένων εκείνων που σχετίζονται με τα ιατροτεχνολογικά προϊόντα, τα παιχνίδια, τα τρόφιμα, τα φυτοφάρμακα και τα βιοκτόνα. Ενισχύει τη βάση γνώσεων για τα χημικά προϊόντα και διασφαλίζει την πιο έγκαιρη ανίχνευση και δράση για τους αναδυόμενους χημικούς κινδύνους. Η δέσμη δημιουργεί μια νέα κοινή πλατφόρμα δεδομένων, την οποία θα διαχειρίζεται ο ECHA και η οποία θα λειτουργεί ως υπηρεσία μίας στάσης για πληροφορίες σχετικά με τα χημικά προϊόντα. Θα ενσωματώσει υφιστάμενα δεδομένα από περισσότερες από 70 νομοθετικές πράξεις της ΕΕ, καλύπτοντας πτυχές όπως οι κίνδυνοι, οι φυσικοχημικές ιδιότητες, η παρουσία στο περιβάλλον, οι εκπομπές και οι χρήσεις. Η πλατφόρμα θα περιλαμβάνει επίσης μια βάση δεδομένων με ασφαλέστερες εναλλακτικές λύσεις αντί των χημικών προϊόντων που προκαλούν ανησυχία, συμβάλλοντας στην προώθηση της μετάβασης προς ασφαλέστερες και πιο βιώσιμες ουσίες. Οι νέοι κανόνες θα επιτρέψουν επίσης την αποτελεσματικότερη χρήση της επιστημονικής εμπειρογνωσίας που διαθέτουν οι οργανισμοί της ΕΕ, διευκρινίζοντας ποιος οργανισμός είναι αρμόδιος για ποια επιστημονικά και τεχνικά καθήκοντα και βελτιώνοντας τη μεταξύ τους συνεργασία, αποφεύγοντας παράλληλα τις αλληλεπικαλύψεις. Η δέσμη αποτελείται από τρεις νομοθετικές πράξεις: έναν κανονισμό για την ίδρυση κοινής πλατφόρμας δεδομένων για τα χημικά προϊόντα έναν κανονισμό και μια οδηγία για τη βελτίωση της συνεργασίας και την ανακατανομή επιστημονικών και τεχνικών καθηκόντων μεταξύ των οργανισμών της ΕΕ που δραστηριοποιούνται στον τομέα των χημικών προϊόντων, συμπεριλαμβανομένου του Ευρωπαϊκού Οργανισμού Χημικών Προϊόντων (ECHA) Επόμενα βήματα Η σημερινή ψηφοφορία σηματοδοτεί το τέλος της νομοθετικής διαδικασίας. Οι τρεις πράξεις πρόκειται τώρα να δημοσιευθούν στην Επίσημη Εφημερίδα της ΕΕ και να τεθούν σε ισχύ 20 ημέρες αργότερα. Η κοινή πλατφόρμα δεδομένων πρόκειται να δημιουργηθεί και να τεθεί σε λειτουργία εντός τριών ετών από την έναρξη ισχύος του κανονισμού. Γενικές πληροφορίες Σύμφωνα με προβλέψεις του προγράμματος των Ηνωμένων Εθνών για το περιβάλλον (Παγκόσμιες προοπτικές για τις χημικές ουσίες II, 2019), η παγκόσμια παραγωγή χημικών προϊόντων θα διπλασιαστεί έως το 2030, κάτι που υπογραμμίζει την αυξανόμενη σημασία ενός ισχυρού κανονιστικού πλαισίου της ΕΕ για τα χημικά προϊόντα. Η δέσμη OSOA, η οποία προτάθηκε τον Δεκέμβριο του 2023, αποτελούσε μέρος της στρατηγικής για τη βιωσιμότητα των χημικών προϊόντων στο πλαίσιο της φιλοδοξίας της Ευρωπαϊκής Πράσινης Συμφωνίας για μηδενική ρύπανση. Η στρατηγική αποσκοπεί στην ενίσχυση της προστασίας των ανθρώπων και του περιβάλλοντος, προωθώντας παράλληλα την καινοτομία προς ασφαλή και βιώσιμα χημικά προϊόντα. Κανονισμός για την ίδρυση κοινής πλατφόρμας δεδομένων για τα χημικά προϊόντα Σημείωμα σημείου «I/A» Οδηγία για την επαναπόδοση επιστημονικών και τεχνικών καθηκόντων στον Ευρωπαϊκό Οργανισμό Χημικών Προϊόντων Δήλωση της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής Σημείωμα σημείου «I/A» Κανονισμός για τη βελτίωση της συνεργασίας μεταξύ των οργανισμών της ΕΕ στον τομέα των χημικών προϊόντων Σημείωμα σημείου «I/A» Συμφωνία Συμβουλίου και Κοινοβουλίου για απλουστευμένο και αποτελεσματικότερο χειρισμό των δεδομένων αξιολόγησης των χημικών προϊόντων (δελτίο Τύπου,12 Ιουνίου 2025) Χημικά (γενικές πληροφορίες) Στρατηγική για τα χημικά προϊόντα (Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή)   Επισκεφτείτε τον ιστοχώρο ● Eurogroup   14/11/2025 11:38 | Speech | ‘Shaping financial regulation in an era of distrust’ - keynote speech by the Eurogroup President, Paschal Donohoe, at the Sixth ECB Forum on Banking Supervision   (check against delivery) Resilience is our strength Let me begin by expressing my gratitude to the organisers of the Sixth ECB Forum on Banking Supervision – it is a pleasure to be present in Frankfurt to speak here today The theme of this year’s conference “resilience in times of disruption” is very apt, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to this discussion. Our system of central banking and financial regulation in Europe has many origins and has been drawn from many schools of thought. In those early days of the ECB and its precursor the EMU, the work of Walter Eucken was foundational. Central to his work was the understanding that a stable and well-functioning market economy needs to be underpinned by a strong legal and institutional framework. As he astutely summarised “freedom in the economic sphere is only possible if it is bound by order”. We are now living in a world of increasing disorder defined by geopolitical tensions and economic fragmentation, which creates challenges for our established rules based international order. However, we must be cognisant that disruption to the status quo presents opportunities as well as challenges. The key is to balance the trade-off between the risks and opportunities that disruption brings. Therefore, today’s Forum provides a valuable opportunity to reflect upon how the various changes ongoing in the economic and geopolitical landscape are shaping the future of the banking sector, and how this requires us to adapt and innovate while at the same time maintaining our focus on resilience. When we look back, we should be very proud of what we have achieved to date. As the first pillar of Banking Union, the establishment of ECB Banking Supervision and the creation of the Single Supervisory Mechanism was a landmark and defining moment in the institutional transformation of the euro area. The SSM is now firmly embedded as a symbol of euro area integration, and I note that in the Eurogroup our engagements with the regulators represent a critical aspect of our discussion on the banking sector. Just this week it was a pleasure to welcome Claudia as Chair of the SSM and the head of SRB to the Eurogroup meeting in Brussels as part of our bi-annual reporting on Banking Union. While at the time the establishment of ECB banking supervision was a very difficult decision, we know now that it was the correct response to strengthen our banking and financial system in the wake of the financial crisis and linked sovereign debt crisis. Our resilience has been our strength, and it is important that we continue to build upon this. An evolution of supervision and regaining trust When we talk about our supervisory practises today, it is good to remind ourselves of the need for banking sector regulation, and to revisit the past events that have shaped its current form. In particular, we can recall the global financial crisis which as one of the mostly costly economic events in recent history exposed the fragilities of the prevailing approach of deregulation. During this time our banks were under-capitalised and under regulated. We can also recall the aftermath, characterised by public bailout of the banks, a spiral in unemployment levels, and a surge in debt to GDP ratios, which ultimately led to a sovereign debt crisis in a number of countries, including Ireland. Today we still see the scars of the following period of prolonged economic weakness, which was defined by reduced investment levels and lower productivity in Europe. The aftermath of the financial crisis of course also led to an erosion of trust in our institutions, a trust that we have worked very hard to reclaim. Global cooperation was central to rebuilding this trust through the reshaping of banking supervision . At EU level, this reinforced the need for the creation of a Banking Union. Although we have a lot more to do, the steps we have since taken to establish a Banking Union and to introduce banking supervision have been instrumental to promoting financial stability, protecting the taxpayer and more broadly in strengthening our single market in banking. As we are all aware, one of the key objectives of our efforts was to break the negative feedback loop between the banks and the sovereign – in my view this was the cornerstone of rebuilding trust. It would also be remiss of me not to mention the strong performance of our banks under the supervision of the SSM, with the resilience of our banks improving considerably in the past decade. We have indeed come a long way since the global financial crisis and rigorous stress tests have shown that our banks are now in a position that they can weather severe economic shocks. Safeguarding resilience in a new world “As I mentioned already, global cooperation has been critical to creating the regulatory environment we know today.  Perhaps it is even the key ingredient to effective regulation as financial stability is a global public good” —  If we want to live in a world order with an open global financial system, then safeguarding financial stability requires a set of minimum global standards. Otherwise we risk regulatory fragmentation, regulatory arbitrage and an unlevel playing field, which can ultimately lead to a broader race to the bottom, together with the associated list of risks, e.g. increased systemic risk, financial instability, reduced consumer and investor protection and a lower quality of services I also stress that the independence of the regulator has been fundamental to the maintenance of financial stability. It is essential to preserve the independence of the regulators in order to maintain the financial stability prerogative and to prevent the relaxation of supervisory policies due to short term incentives. Just as the independence of the ECB and all central banks in setting monetary policy is crucial - similarly, the independence of the supervisory role of the ECB and SSM is fundamental. We are living in a world where disorder is increasingly woven into the status quo, where regulation is increasingly being questioned against a backdrop of economic fragmentation. This impedes international cooperation and collaboration which is the backbone of a strong international financial system. While perhaps more mainstream in other regions, these voices are also becoming more prominent in Europe. Concerningly, this threatens to erode the hard-won progress we have achieved. I believe our response should be rather greater cooperation and collaboration. I believe this response should be based on three core elements: “Firstly, transparency of message is crucial. Economic actors, governments, politicians, and above all our citizens must understand the steps we are taking and why.   Secondly, we need to preserve the independence of our regulators and which in turn will protect resilience.   And finally, we must show that banks and the private sector are part of any response to crisis.” —  If we do this, instead of a crisis feedback loop we can develop the beginning of a virtuous circle. This response would give us the best prospect of maintaining a stable regulatory system and the orderly functioning of markets. Balancing resilience and growth  As I have laid out, I firmly believe that resilience is the foundation to a sound and stable banking sector. However, this does not mean that we should not also be focussing our attention on ensuring that our banking sector is globally competitive and is fully unleashing its growth potential. We need to consider if the EU banking system is meeting the needs of our economies in the simplest and most competitive way possible in a manner that ensures continued financial stability and resilience. In a world of disruption, with instability in the geopolitical and economic landscape, I would argue that this creates a greater impetus on the necessity for our banking sector to adapt, to innovate and to contribute to the financing of the real economy to the best of its ability. Getting this balance right is key especially in light of the many challenges we are facing not least in relation to the external geopolitical environment but also the urgency to tackle structural issues in relation to digitalisation, demography and the green transition, while also financing defence expenditure. This does not translate to an argument for deregulation or a call for the EU to join “ a race to the bottom” when it comes to financial regulation, but what we should do is examine what can be improved, streamlined and simplified. The goal should be efficient regulation and supervision underpinning a stable and resilient banking sector. We need to strike the right balance between effective regulation and supervision without stifling innovation, otherwise we risk falling further behind our global partners in terms of competitiveness and productivity. Achieving deep and liquid capital markets, together with a well-functioning Banking Union are key ingredients to this prerogative and this provides a greater impetus for us to drive forward with swift and timely implementation of the Savings and Investment Union initiatives, and of course completing the Banking Union. In a similar vein, we also need to act with urgency on the recommendations as laid out in the reports of Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi if we are to secure Europe’s longer-term prosperity and competitiveness. By doing so we will strengthen European integration and our sovereignty, while also deepening the foundation of the euro. Concluding remarks I will conclude by reiterating my earlier point that the stability and reliability of the euro area is one of our primary attributes in an uncertain world, and that the work of the Single Supervisory Mechanism in the sphere of financial regulation plays a very important role in maintaining this stability. However, just as the financial crisis and sovereign debt crisis over a decade ago provided crucial impetus and political will to deliver major structural changes to the Euro area regulatory system, the current uncertain geopolitical environment should also serve as a driver to finish what we have started. This hard-fought financial stability that we have come to know in recent years was not achieved by standing still, therefore we must be bold again and make bold decisions. Let me be clear that I believe these bold actions must be: accelerating progress on the delivery of deeper and more competitive capital markets; the implementation of the Savings and Investment Union initiatives; and indeed finally completing the Banking Union. In this increasingly uncertain world, I believe Europe does not need more or less regulation we must ensure that we have better regulation. We know that for the EU to remain competitive we must act to boost innovation and simplify regulations, and I would ask the regulators to think about how they can contribute to the delivery of these goals. In relation to completing the Banking Union, we should be unequivocal about this. Member States and the EU at large need to be braver in taking decisions on making progress on the outstanding elements of the banking union if we are to truly achieve cross-border banking and to deliver upon the promise of a single banking system. In my role as the Irish Minister for Finance, I can appreciate the stark challenges in taking difficult decisions to both secure the financial future and in addressing the financial failures of the past. Under my tenure I have fully supported the return of the Irish banking sector to private ownership following government intervention in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. This has been a long and arduous road for the government, and the Irish people with many difficult decisions along the way. Such difficult decisions are however needed if we are to commit ourselves to finalising the banking union, enhancing EU competitiveness and financing the future of Europe and its citizens. President John F Kennedy was fond of quoting Irish author Frank O’Connor’s story that as an adventurous boy when he and his friends would come across a wall that appeared altogether too high, they would throw their hats over the wall, so they had no option but to find a way over. We must throw our hats over that wall and commit to delivery – as political leaders and as key actors in the EU’s institutional framework we have a responsibility to act without complacency.   Visit the website ● Council of the EU   13/11/2025 12:31 | Press release | Chemicals: Council greenlights legislative package to streamline chemical safety assessments   The Council today formally adopted the legislative package on ‘one substance, one assessment’ (OSOA). The new rules streamline the EU’s approach to the assessment of chemicals and shorten the gap between the identification of a possible risk and the necessary regulatory action ultimately leading to better and faster protection of people's health and the environment. The OSOA package also improves the quality, consistency and efficiency of chemical safety assessments across EU legislation, including those related to medical devices, toys, food, pesticides and biocides. It strengthens the knowledge base on chemicals and ensure earlier detection and action on emerging chemical risks. The package creates a new common data platform, to be managed by ECHA, that will serve as a one-stop shop for information on chemicals. It will integrate existing data from over 70 pieces of EU legislation, covering aspects such as hazards, physico-chemical properties, presence in the environment, emissions and uses. The platform will also include a database of safer alternatives to chemicals of concern, helping to promote a transition towards safer and more sustainable substances. The new rules will also allow a more efficient use of the scientific expertise available in EU agencies by clarifying which agency is responsible for which scientific and technical tasks and improving cooperation between them, while avoiding overlaps. The package consists of three legislative acts: a regulation establishing a common data platform on chemicals a regulation and a directive improving cooperation and reallocating scientific and technical tasks among the EU agencies active in the field of chemicals, including the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Next steps Today’s vote marks the end of the legislative process. The three acts will now be published in the EU’s official journal and enter into force 20 days later. The common data platform is to be established and become operative within three years form the entry into force of the regulation. Background Global chemicals production is projected to double by 2030, according to the UN Environment Programme (Global Chemicals Outlook II, 2019), highlighting the growing importance of robust EU chemical regulation. Proposed in December 2023, the OSOA package was part of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability under the European Green Deal’s zero pollution ambition. The strategy aims to strengthen protection for people and the environment while driving innovation towards safe and sustainable chemicals. Voting results Regulation establishing a common data platform on chemicals I/A item note Directive on the reattribution of scientific and technical tasks to the European Chemicals Agency Statement by the European Commission I/A item note Regulation on improving cooperation among EU agencies in the area of chemicals I/A item note Council and Parliament agree on simplified and more efficient handling of chemical assessment data (press release, 12 June 2025) Chemicals (background information) Chemicals strategy (European Commission)   Visit the website