This Week in Manufacturing — Brussels (#13, 2026)
Parliament committee backs €2m EGF support for Belgian steel workers; Committee opinions on Horizon Europe 2028-34; Drafts on energy infrastructure and permitting reform; NRPP industrial policy priorities.
April 05, 2026 to April 11, 2026
Parliament committee backs €2m EGF support for Belgian steel workers; Committee opinions on Horizon Europe 2028-34; Drafts on energy infrastructure and permitting reform; NRPP industrial policy priorities.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 📅 This Week's Calendar in Brussels
• ✒️ EP Committee Work
This Week's Calendar in Brussels
- Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE): On April 14, the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Joint SEDE-ITRE: The Implementation of the 2026-2027 European Defence Industry Programme Work Programme: capability priority projects, with Francois Arbault, Director for Defence Industrial Programmes (DG for Defence Industry and Space, European Commission).
- Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE): On April 15, the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Chair’s announcements; Date of next meetings; Establishing the Connecting Europe Facility for the period 2028-2034, amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/1153.
- Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE): On April 15, the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Advanced manufacturing as a strategic sector for the EU; Amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1252; Chair’s announcements.
- Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE): On April 16, the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is scheduled to meet. Agenda includes: Advanced manufacturing as a strategic sector for the EU; Amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1252; Chair’s announcements.
EP Committee Work
€2 million in EU support to help laid-off Belgian workers find employment
On 8 April 2026, the Committee on Budgets (BUDG) of the European Parliament endorsed a Commission proposal to mobilise €2 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) to assist 507 workers affected by the April 2025 bankruptcy of Liberty Steel Belgium, a basic metals manufacturer. The package, approved with 31 votes in favour and 4 against, will finance measures including career counselling, vocational training such as IT skills, and support for entrepreneurship. The total cost of the support is €2.4 million, with the EGF covering 85% and the remainder funded by Walloon regional authorities. The Belgian authorities began providing assistance in June 2025; EGF funds will retroactively finance these activities. Plenary approval is scheduled for late April 2026. The intervention is based on the EGF Regulation 2021-2027, which enables EU support when major restructuring leads to at least 200 redundancies within a defined period.
