This Week in Construction & Housing — Brussels (#29, 2026)
EU maintains countervailing duties on Egyptian glass fibre; French National Housing Hub launched with EU support; sustainability reporting rules simplified.
September 21, 2026 to September 27, 2026
EU maintains countervailing duties on Egyptian glass fibre; French National Housing Hub launched with EU support; sustainability reporting rules simplified.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 🇪🇺 European Commission
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
European Commission
France launches National Hub for Social, Intermediate and Sustainable Housing with EU support
On 22 September 2026, the French government, Caisse des Dépôts, Union sociale pour l’Habitat, European Investment Bank (EIB), and Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) signed a declaration of intent to establish the French National Hub for Social, Intermediate and Sustainable Housing. The initiative is backed by the European Commission and forms part of the European Affordable Housing Plan presented in December 2025. The Hub aims to facilitate access to European resources and funding for social and affordable housing projects, provide technical support to project promoters, and share expertise among stakeholders. This new platform builds on the European Alliance for Sustainable and Inclusive Social Housing in France, active since 2020, and is intended to address the housing crisis through enhanced cooperation and investment in housing production and renovation.
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Commission maintains countervailing duty on imports of continuous filament glass fibre products from Egypt
On 23 September 2026, the Commission adopted Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2107, following an expiry review under Regulation (EU) 2016/1037, maintaining a definitive countervailing duty of 13.1% on imports of continuous filament glass fibre products originating in Egypt. The review confirmed continued subsidisation through various schemes, including preferential financing and land provision, and identified ongoing injury to the EU industry. The regulation cites significant market share gains for Egyptian imports and price undercutting of EU producers. The measure applies to products under CN codes 7019 11 00, ex 7019 12 00, 7019 14 00, and 7019 15 00, and entered into force following its publication in the Official Journal.
Sustainability reporting standards for voluntary use adopted for undertakings under value chain cap
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1560, adopted on 3 July 2026 and published on 21 September 2026, supplements Directive 2013/34/EU by establishing voluntary sustainability reporting standards for undertakings protected by the value chain cap. The regulation enables voluntary sustainability reporting for undertakings not subject to mandatory requirements and defines a limit on information that can be requested from value chain partners with fewer than 1,000 employees. The new standard applies for financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2027.
Simplification of sustainability reporting standards under Directive 2013/34/EU
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1563, adopted 3 July 2026 and published 21 September 2026, amends Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772 to simplify certain sustainability reporting standards. In line with Directive (EU) 2026/470, the changes reduce datapoints, prioritise quantitative over narrative data, clarify materiality assessment, and ensure consistency with other EU law. The regulation applies to financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2027, with transitional provisions for the 2026 financial year.
