This Week in Automotive — Brussels (#29, 2026)
Commission endorses Greece's €4.8bn Social Climate Plan for clean transport; UN Regulation No. 129 on Enhanced Child Restraint Systems enters force.
August 24, 2026 to August 30, 2026
Commission endorses Greece's €4.8bn Social Climate Plan for clean transport; UN Regulation No. 129 on Enhanced Child Restraint Systems enters force.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 🇪🇺 European Commission
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
European Commission
Commission Endorses Greece's €4.8 Billion Social Climate Plan for Clean Mobility and Vulnerable Groups
On 26 August 2026, the European Commission adopted Greece's Social Climate Plan, the fifth and largest endorsed under the Social Climate Fund. The plan will mobilise €4.77 billion until 2032, with €3.57 billion (75%) from the EU and €1.2 billion (25%) from national funds. Supported by revenues from the new Emissions Trading System for buildings and road transport (ETS2), the plan aims to reduce emissions by 811,000 tons of CO2 equivalent yearly by 2032. It is designed to mitigate the social impacts of ETS2, targeting 460,000 vulnerable households through building renovations and installation of heat pumps and solar water heating systems. The scheme will offer 15,000 car-dependent vulnerable households access to electric vehicles via a social leasing model, and enhance public transport with over 200 new electric buses and 22 Athens metro trains. The plan also supports 28,000 micro-enterprises in their transition to cleaner mobility and energy efficiency, and includes accessibility investments such as mobility devices and upgrades to railway and metro stations. Greece can request its first payment from the Commission after implementation milestones are met.
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
UN Regulation No. 129: Enhanced Child Restraint Systems Approval Updated in EU Law
On 28 August 2026, the Official Journal published Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1534, incorporating the latest amendments to UN Regulation No. 129 on Enhanced Child Restraint Systems for vehicles (CELEX: 32026R1534). The updated regulation details uniform requirements for the approval and production conformity of child safety systems, including design, installation, and testing protocols. Entry into force aligns with the latest UN/ECE amendments, affecting all new type approvals for vehicle child restraint systems across the EU.
What We're Reading This Week
- After Uber, Waymo to launch the EU's first robotaxis in Munich: Waymo is set to introduce autonomous ride-hailing services in Munich, marking the EU’s debut of commercial robotaxis.
