This Week in Automotive — Brussels (#29, 2026)
New Euro 7 battery durability rules adopted; Egypt glass fibre countervailing duties renewed; Commission acts on clean transport milestones; Energy Council meeting set.
September 21, 2026 to September 27, 2026
New Euro 7 battery durability rules adopted; Egypt glass fibre countervailing duties renewed; Commission acts on clean transport milestones; Energy Council meeting set.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 📅 This Week's Calendar in Brussels
• 🇪🇺 European Commission
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
• 🤝 EU Council
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
This Week's Calendar in Brussels
- Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO): On September 28, the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Chair’s announcements; Date of next meetings; Establishing a framework of measures for the acceleration of industrial capacity and decarbonisation in strategic sectors and amending Regulations (EU) 2018/1724, (EU) 2024/1735 and (EU) 2024/3110.
- Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO): On September 28, the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Affordable Housing Act; Amending Directive (EU) 2022/2555 as regards simplification measures and alignment with the [Proposal for the Cybersecurity Act 2]; Chair’s announcements.
- Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO): On September 28, the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: * * *; Chair’s announcements; Coordinators’ meeting.
- Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN): On September 28, the European Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: * * *; A regulatory framework to promote the uptake of sustainable aviation fuels; Chair’s announcements.
European Commission
Commission greenlights Luxembourg's third payment request for €92.2 million under NextGenerationEU
On 24 September 2026, the European Commission issued a positive assessment of Luxembourg's third payment request for €92.2 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), a key element of NextGenerationEU. Luxembourg exceeded its target by supporting the acquisition of 42,000 zero-emission vehicles and installing 25 MWp of photovoltaic capacity on business premises. The payment request includes reforms to the biogas support scheme, digitalisation of public services, and the testing of cross-border quantum key distribution between Luxembourg and Belgium. Legal reforms in healthcare, deployment of remote medical follow-up solutions, and expanded biodiversity protection were also completed. The Commission forwarded its assessment to the Economic and Financial Committee, which has four weeks to deliver its opinion before payment is finalised. This tranche brings total RRF disbursements to Luxembourg to €182 million, or 76% of its allocation.
Commission takes action to ensure complete and timely transposition of EU directives
On 24 September 2026, the European Commission announced infringement procedures against several Member States for incomplete transposition of EU directives. Among the actions, the Commission opened procedures regarding Directive (EU) 2024/1711 on electricity market design, which includes provisions for consumer rights and energy sharing, targeting 18 Member States. For the hydrogen and decarbonised gas market, letters of formal notice were sent to 26 Member States for incomplete transposition of Directive (EU) 2024/1788. Member States had to communicate national measures for these directives by July and August 2026, but the legal deadlines were missed. The Commission requests responses within two months and may issue reasoned opinions if compliance is not achieved.
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Euro 7: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1753 updates environmental requirements for electric vehicles
On 24 September 2026, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1753 (CELEX: 32026R1753) was published, amending Regulation (EU) 2018/858. The new regulation introduces updated environmental performance and emission requirements for in-vehicle battery durability, brake particle emissions, system power, and electric vehicle range at low temperatures for vehicles produced in unlimited series and special purpose vehicles. The regulation also updates the list of UN Regulations recognized as alternatives in Annex II, aligning EU type-approval with Euro 7 standards. References are added to UN Regulations Nos 83, 154, 177, and 179, and links to recent Commission Implementing Regulations (EU) 2025/1706 and 2025/1707.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2107 imposes definitive countervailing duty on glass fibre products from Egypt
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2107 (CELEX: 32026R2107) was adopted on 22 September 2026, renewing definitive countervailing duties on imports of continuous filament glass fibre products from Egypt. The review confirmed ongoing subsidisation and material injury to the EU industry, maintaining a 13.1% ad valorem duty on imports, including those used in automotive and transport applications. The regulation details the investigation period, legal basis under Regulation (EU) 2016/1037, and the attribution of subsidies via cooperation between Egypt and China in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
EU Council
Upcoming Informal Meeting of Energy Ministers (Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council)
Energy ministers will convene on 28 September 2026 for an informal meeting under the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council configuration.
What We're Reading This Week
- 'Made in Europe' battery rules could add €2,100 to electric car prices, report says: New EU battery regulations may significantly increase electric vehicle costs, potentially slowing adoption and impacting affordability for consumers.
