This Week in Manufacturing — Brussels (#29, 2026)
Anti-dumping duties imposed on Chinese chemicals and polyamide yarns; EU-Mexico trade and partnership agreements signed; CBAM default corrections; new energy reporting templates adopted; updates on State aid and SAF schemes.
July 26, 2026 to August 01, 2026
Anti-dumping duties imposed on Chinese chemicals and polyamide yarns; EU-Mexico trade and partnership agreements signed; CBAM default corrections; new energy reporting templates adopted; updates on State aid and SAF schemes.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 🇪🇺 European Commission
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
European Commission
Commission approves €290 million Dutch State aid for sustainable aviation fuels under Clean Industrial Deal
The European Commission approved two Dutch State aid schemes totaling €290 million to support the production and preparatory works for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). The schemes, notified under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF), will run from 2027 to 2031 and are designed to produce around 285 kilotonnes of SAF annually. Aid will be provided mainly through direct grants tied to project milestones and will promote advanced bio-SAF (non-HEFA) and synthetic e-SAF, supporting compliance with RFNBO and advanced biofuel sustainability criteria. The measures were found compatible with Article 107(3)(c) TFEU and the 2022 Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy (CEEAG). The Commission assigned case numbers SA.121979 and SA.123605.
Commission disburses €1.86 billion under NextGenerationEU to Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, and Slovenia
The European Commission released over €1.86 billion in payments from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) to Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, and Slovenia for fulfilling milestones and targets in their respective national plans. Denmark received €359 million as its final disbursement, marking 100% completion of its EU RRF plan. Belgium, Bulgaria, and Slovenia received €567 million, €896 million, and €41 million, respectively, to advance reforms including sustainable mobility, rule of law, energy efficiency, and healthcare modernization. All final RRF payment requests are due by 30 September 2026, with implementation required by 31 August 2026.
Commission sends Statement of Grounds to Temu for possible obstruction under Foreign Subsidies Regulation
The Commission sent a Statement of Grounds to Temu’s owner, PDD Holdings Inc., and its subsidiary WhaleCo Technology Ltd., regarding suspected obstruction during a December 2025 inspection under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR). The inspection aimed to collect evidence about distorting foreign subsidies. The Commission found Temu had failed to fully comply with requests for information and may have infringed procedural obligations under Article 14 FSR. Temu can now respond before the Commission potentially imposes a fine up to 1% of annual turnover. The case is registered as FS.100186.AP.
Japan officially joins Horizon Europe as an associated country
Japan formally became associated to the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. From July 2026, Japanese entities can participate in Horizon Europe Pillar II projects, receiving EU funding and joining consortia on an equal basis with EU partners. This step follows negotiations concluded in December 2025. Japan’s association covers projects related to climate, energy, health, and digital technologies and marks Japan as the most populous associated country. The Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva, welcomed Japan’s accession, strengthening the EU–Japan strategic partnership in research.
Commission approves €59 million Slovenian State aid for battery energy storage systems
Slovenia’s €59 million State aid scheme to promote battery energy storage installations received Commission approval under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF). The scheme, financed through the Just Transition Fund and ETS Modernisation Fund, targets at least 370 MWh of new capacity by 2030 and aims to facilitate the integration of renewables. Support will take the form of direct investment grants and is compliant with Article 107(3)(c) TFEU and CISAF requirements. The decision is recorded under SA.122160.
Commission launches AI Gigafactories call to expand Europe’s computing capacity
On 29 July 2026, the Commission opened a call for up to seven AI Gigafactories across the EU, backed by €10 billion in EU and national funding and expected to unlock over €30 billion in total investment. The initiative is driven by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking and includes agreements with major hardware providers. The Gigafactories will provide sovereign AI compute infrastructure accessible to industry, SMEs, and academia in line with EU rules and are part of the AI Continent Action Plan. The call closes 12 November 2026.
Commission endorses Malta’s €60 million Social Climate Plan targeting vulnerable groups
The European Commission endorsed Malta’s €60.6 million Social Climate Plan under the Social Climate Fund, allocating €45.4 million from EU sources for the period 2026–2032. Measures include energy renovations for vulnerable households, upgrades to public housing, and expansion of sustainable transport options for over 30,000 individuals. Support for micro-enterprises in electrification and charging infrastructure is also covered. The plan’s aim is to ensure a fair transition as the EU extends emissions trading to new sectors.
Commission seeks feedback on amendments to regional State aid guidelines
A public consultation was launched on 27 July 2026 on proposed amendments to the regional State aid guidelines for the 2028–2034 period. The review aims to incorporate updated socio-economic data and address specific challenges faced by eastern regions bordering Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Stakeholders can respond by 30 September 2026. The final guidelines are expected to be adopted by end-2026, giving Member States time to notify new regional aid maps.
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Definitive anti-dumping duties imposed on Chinese polyamide yarns
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1823 imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of synthetic continuous filament yarns of aliphatic polyamides from China. Duties range from 60% to 67.6%, following an investigation under Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 and are based on sustained injury and dumping practices impacting EU industry.
Provisional anti-dumping duty imposed on benzyl alcohol imports from China
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1857 imposed provisional anti-dumping duties up to 71.2% on benzyl alcohol imported from China following an investigation under Regulation (EU) 2016/1036. The duties address significant injury and market share loss experienced by EU producers.
Provisional anti-dumping duty imposed on sodium benzoate imports from China
Regulation (EU) 2026/1854 introduced provisional anti-dumping duties, as high as 116.4%, on sodium benzoate from China. The measure targets unfair dumping and addresses substantial market share gains by Chinese imports that contributed to injury to the EU sodium benzoate industry.
Definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on Chinese lysine; registration established for potential retroactive levy
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1824 makes imports of lysine from China subject to registration for possible retroactive anti-dumping duties. The action follows evidence of continuing dumping and surge in import volumes, affecting the EU lysine producers.
Definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on ferro-silicon imports from Russia and China
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1794 maintained and revised the definitive anti-dumping duty on ferro-silicon from Russia and China following an expiry review under Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036, in view of recurring injury and significant spare production capacity in these countries.
Interim Agreement on Trade and Strategic Partnership between the EU and Mexico signed and approved
The EU and its Member States signed and provisionally applied the Political, Economic and Cooperation Strategic Partnership Agreement with Mexico, as well as the Interim Agreement on Trade. These agreements, published on 31 July 2026, cover trade in goods, rules of origin, public procurement, and sustainable development. Council Decisions (EU) 2026/1510 and 2026/1742 formalized the signing and conclusion of these agreements, which modernize and deepen the existing partnership.
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CBAM correction: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1740 updates default values and Annexes
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1740 corrected default values and adjusted annexes in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2621 relating to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Regulation (EU) 2023/956). The correction clarifies production route indicators, units, and country names, ensuring legal certainty for surrendering CBAM certificates.
New reporting templates for energy and climate progress under Regulation (EU) 2018/1999
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1807 amended Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2299 to update reporting obligations and templates for integrated national energy and climate progress reports. The changes incorporate provisions from various directives, including (EU) 2023/1791 on energy efficiency and (EU) 2024/1275 on building performance.
CO2 emissions reporting for new heavy-duty vehicles in 2024
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1815 published average specific CO2 emissions values for each manufacturer of new heavy-duty vehicles registered in the EU for 2024. This follows reporting requirements under Regulation (EU) 2019/1242, contributing to monitoring the targets for reducing road transport emissions.
