This Week in Higher Ed — Brussels (#29, 2026)
Japan joins Horizon Europe; Commission launches €30bn AI Gigafactories call; AI Act enforcement begins; NextGenerationEU disbursements completed; ICT survey regulation issued.
July 26, 2026 to August 01, 2026
Japan joins Horizon Europe; Commission launches €30bn AI Gigafactories call; AI Act enforcement begins; NextGenerationEU disbursements completed; ICT survey regulation issued.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 🇪🇺 European Commission
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
European Commission
Japan Officially Becomes 23rd Associated Country to Horizon Europe
The European Commission announced on 29 July 2026 that Japan is now officially associated to Horizon Europe, following successful negotiations that concluded in December 2025. Japanese entities may fully participate in Horizon Europe Pillar II projects, with access to funding and the ability to join or lead international research consortia. Transitional arrangements have already enabled Japanese applicants since January 2026. Japan's association reinforces the EU–Japan Strategic Partnership and covers a €52.4 billion budget for multinational projects in climate, energy, health, and digital economy. Japan will also provide financial contributions to the programme budget. Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva welcomed the step as deepening global scientific cooperation.
Commission Launches €30 Billion AI Gigafactories Call to Expand Computing Capacity
On 29 July 2026, the European Commission opened the tender for up to seven AI Gigafactories, backed by €10 billion in EU and national funding and expected to unlock at least €20 billion in private investment. The facilities aim to boost Europe's AI computing infrastructure for industry, academia, SMEs, and public authorities, supporting the EU's technological sovereignty. Consortia may apply, with procurement managed by the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU). Eighteen Member States signed a joint procurement agreement. The first lot supports up to four projects eligible for up to €500 million each, and the second lot up to three projects for up to €1 billion each. Hardware procurement may involve European and US suppliers. The call closes on 12 November 2026, with award decisions expected by early 2027.
Commission Announces AI Act Enforcement and Transparency Requirements Starting 2 August
On 30 July 2026, the Commission confirmed the AI Act's rules and new transparency obligations are enforceable from 2 August 2026. The AI Office, national authorities, and the European Data Protection Supervisor share enforcement responsibilities. AI systems must identify AI-generated or altered content for users, and deepfakes require labelling. Providers of general-purpose AI models must document training data and publish copyright policies. Additional obligations apply to models posing systemic risks. The AI Office launched reporting tools for complaints and whistleblowers. The Scientific Panel of 60 experts supports enforcement, led by Professor Alessandro Abate. High-risk AI system rules are postponed until December 2027, with new prohibitions on non-consensual explicit content taking effect December 2026.
Commission Disburses More Than €1.86 Billion Under NextGenerationEU to Four Member States
On 30 July 2026, the Commission disbursed €1.86 billion in Recovery and Resilience Facility funds to Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, and Slovenia. Belgium received €567 million after its fourth payment request for reforms in mobility, energy, digitalisation, and social inclusion. Bulgaria was granted €896 million supporting the anti-corruption commission, renewables, rail contracts, and low-emission transport; three milestones remain outstanding. Denmark obtained €359 million marking its fifth and final RRF payment, covering sustainable agriculture, energy efficiency, and climate initiatives. Slovenia was allocated €41 million for healthcare modernisation, clean transition investments, and resilience reforms. Denmark is the first Member State to achieve full allocation under its RRF plan.
Commission Greenlights Belgium's Fifth NextGenerationEU Payment Request for €225 Million
On 26 July 2026, the Commission positively assessed Belgium's fifth payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, amounting to €225 million. The request is tied to milestones for clean and digital transition, mobility, education, labour market policy, and biotechnology. Key measures include deploying low-emission buses, reforming vehicle circulation tax, and improving housing energy efficiency. The Economic and Financial Committee has four weeks to deliver its opinion before the Commission proceeds with payment. The RRF for Belgium is financed by €5 billion in grants and €230 million in loans.
Commission Opens Consultation on Amendments to Regional State Aid Guidelines
On 27 July 2026, the Commission launched a public consultation regarding updates to the Guidelines on regional State aid, which determine eligibility criteria for regional development support. Amendments incorporate recent socio-economic data and address challenges facing eastern EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Stakeholders may submit feedback by 30 September 2026, in advance of multilateral discussions. Adoption of new guidelines is targeted for end 2026, to allow preparations for aid maps applicable from 2028. The guidelines outline the conditions and levels of regional aid permissible under Article 107(3)(a) and (c) TFEU.
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1864 on ICT Survey Technical Standards for 2027
Published in the Official Journal L on 30 July 2026, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1864 specifies technical items, formats, and quality reporting for sample surveys on the use of information and communication technologies for 2027. The regulation follows Regulation (EU) 2019/1700, setting standards for data transmission, coding, and metadata as well as deadlines for Member States to transmit data by 5 October 2027 and quality reports by 5 January 2028. Requirements cover variables such as target populations, reference periods, and editing rules. Surveys will focus on households and individuals aged 16–74 with harmonisation ensured across statistical domains.
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1870 Registers European Citizens’ Initiative ‘All On Board’
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1870, adopted 17 July 2026 and published on 27 July, registers the European citizens’ initiative 'All On Board – For your right to citizenship without borders' under Regulation (EU) 2019/788. The initiative requests the Union to create the right to learn about, experience and benefit from EU citizenship. The registration confirms the initiative falls within the Commission's powers under Article 25 TFEU, though content and teaching specifics remain subject to Article 165(1) TFEU limitations. The group of organisers is represented by Suzana Carp and Jana Sproul.
What We're Reading This Week
- EU pitches Brexit reset tuition fees compromise: Brussels proposes new tuition fee arrangements to ease tensions over university costs for EU and UK students post-Brexit.
