This Week in Higher Ed — Brussels (#16, 2026)
Commission and Parliament sign new cooperation agreement; NextGenerationEU: Italy's €12.8bn payment assessed; EU rulebook simplification plan; Parliament approves 2024 budget discharge.
April 26, 2026 to May 02, 2026
Commission and Parliament sign new cooperation agreement; NextGenerationEU: Italy's €12.8bn payment assessed; EU rulebook simplification plan; Parliament approves 2024 budget discharge.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 📅 This Week's Calendar in Brussels
• 🇪🇺 European Commission
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
• 🏛️ European Parliament
• 🤝 EU Council
• ✒️ EP Committee Work
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
This Week's Calendar in Brussels
- Committee on Culture and Education (CULT): On May 05, the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Chair’s announcements; Coordinators’ meeting; Date of next meetings.
- Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE): On May 06, the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Agreement between the European Union and Canada laying down the conditions for the participation of Canadian legal entities and products originating in Canada to procurement under the SAFE Instrument; Chair’s announcements; *** End of electronic vote ***.
- Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE): On May 06, the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Amending Directives (EU) 2018/2001, (EU) 2019/944, (EU) 2024/1788 as regards acceleration of permit-granting procedures; Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards the extension of its scope to downstream goods and anti-circumvention measures; Chair’s announcements.
European Commission
Commission and European Parliament sign revised Framework Agreement
On 27 April 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola signed a revised Framework Agreement between the two institutions. The new agreement, effective upon publication in the Official Journal, establishes a modernised cooperation framework to enhance representative democracy, institutional dialogue, and transparency. The Commission agreed to provide more timely and comprehensive information to Parliament, notably when using the EU's Emergency Clause or launching unanticipated initiatives. The agreement also commits the Commission to increased participation of Commissioners in parliamentary proceedings and strengthens Parliament’s role in international agreements. This revision updates the previous Framework Agreement signed in 2010.
Commission welcomes revision of EU social security coordination rules
On 28 April 2026, the Commission welcomed Member States’ approval of the revised social security coordination rules, first proposed in 2016. The revision, which updates Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009, introduces new provisions on long-term care benefits, family benefits, and clearer criteria for equal treatment. It also defines social security coordination fraud and imposes a minimum three-month affiliation for posted workers. The revision streamlines cross-border unemployment benefits and introduces strengthened administrative cooperation and information exchange between national authorities. Formal adoption by both Parliament and Council is pending.
Commission positively assesses Italy's €12.8bn NextGenerationEU payment request
On 28 April 2026, the Commission completed its assessment of Italy's ninth payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, part of NextGenerationEU. The €12.8 billion payment covers 16 milestones and 34 targets, including reforms in public administration, justice, research, and education. The request brings Italy's total RRF disbursements to approximately €166 billion. The Economic and Financial Committee has four weeks to issue its opinion before the Commission finalises the payment.
Commission presents plan for simpler, clearer and better enforced EU rules
On 27 April 2026, the Commission published its strategy for a more effective EU rulebook, focusing on simplicity by design, improved better regulation, regulatory deep cleaning, reduction of gold-plating, and faster enforcement. The plan targets 12 priority areas for legislative simplification and sets out tools to support Member States in avoiding unnecessary national requirements. The Commission calls for consistent application of these principles by all institutions during legislative processes.
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Uzbekistan published
The Official Journal L 2026/918 (CELEX: 32026A0918, published 30 April 2026) contains the full text of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU, its Member States, and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The agreement covers political dialogue, justice and security cooperation, trade, intellectual property, and education. It establishes frameworks on higher education cooperation, research exchange, and mutual recognition of qualifications.
European Parliament
Parliament approves discharge for EU general budget 2024
On 28 April 2026, the European Parliament debated the discharge for the implementation of the EU general budget for the 2024 financial year (Rapporteur: Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, A10-0081/2026). The discharge was granted, with accompanying resolutions highlighting transparency, the rule of law, and traceability of Recovery and Resilience Facility funds.
Parliament grants discharge for EU agencies' 2024 budgets
On 29 April 2026, Parliament approved the discharge for the implementation of the 2024 budgets of EU agencies (Rapporteur: Monika Hohlmeier, A10-0087/2026). The decision follows the Committee on Budgetary Control's recommendation, with the exception of the Council due to lack of cooperation.
EU Council
Upcoming: Competitiveness Council (Research and Space) to meet 29 May
The Competitiveness Council (Research and Space) is scheduled for 29 May 2026, with research policy and funding expected on the agenda.
EP Committee Work
FEMM draft opinion: Budget expenditure tracking and performance framework regulation
On 30 April 2026, the FEMM Committee published a draft opinion (Rapporteur: Lina Gálvez) on the proposal for a regulation establishing a budget expenditure tracking and performance framework for Union programmes. The opinion addresses gender equality and monitoring provisions for EU-funded programmes in education and research.
ENVI opinion: Amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 on critical raw materials
On 29 April 2026, the ENVI Committee, with Jacek Ozdoba as rapporteur, adopted its opinion on the proposal to amend Regulation (EU) 2024/1252. The opinion focuses on strengthening supply chain resilience, sustainability criteria, and improved tracking for research and technology sectors reliant on critical materials.
DEVE draft opinion: Budget expenditure tracking and performance framework
On 28 April 2026, the DEVE Committee (Rapporteur: Niels Geuking) published a draft opinion on the proposed regulation establishing a budget expenditure tracking and performance framework. The opinion considers the implications for EU development programmes, including research capacity-building in higher education.
What We're Reading This Week
- ERC Scientific Council Readjusts Rules for Reapplication: Researchers face new guidelines for reapplying to ERC grants following policy adjustments by the Scientific Council.
- ERC Grants Info Session: Funding for Excellent Frontier Research: Researchers can learn about securing prestigious European Research Council grants supporting groundbreaking scientific and scholarly projects.
