This Week in the Single Market — Brussels (#29, 2026)
Social security reform adopted; anti-dumping duties on PET Spunbond; new rules for recycled plastics; long-term derogation for crystal glass; multiple product registrations for anti-dumping investigation.
October 26, 2026 to November 01, 2026
Social security reform adopted; anti-dumping duties on PET Spunbond; new rules for recycled plastics; long-term derogation for crystal glass; multiple product registrations for anti-dumping investigation.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
• 🤝 EU Council
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Coordination of Social Security Systems: Major Reforms Adopted
Regulation (EU) 2026/2359 of 7 October 2026 amends Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 987/2009 to overhaul the EU’s framework for coordinating social security systems. The new provisions clarify rules on long-term care, unemployment and family benefits, and improve mechanisms for determining the applicable legislation for mobile workers. The regulation introduces explicit rules for the aggregation of periods, extends digitalisation requirements for cross-border procedures, and strengthens data exchange for fraud prevention. Application dates differ by provision, with certain rules effective from 1 November 2026, and others from 2 November 2028, including extended transitional arrangements for Luxembourg.
Definitive Anti-Dumping Duties Imposed on PET Spunbond from China
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2393 of 29 October 2026 imposes a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of PET Spunbond originating in the People’s Republic of China, following a full investigation under Regulation (EU) 2016/1036. Duties range from 39.8% to 48.1% depending on the company, with all other imports subject to 48.1%. The regulation outlines the investigation’s methodology, stakeholder submissions, and the Commission’s assessment of injury, causation, and Union interest. Provisional duties previously collected are definitively imposed, but no retroactive collection is applied.
Amendments to Regulation on Recycled Plastic Materials and Articles
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/2376 of 28 October 2026 amends Regulation (EU) 2022/1616, updating requirements on declarations of compliance, batch documentation, and traceability for recycled plastics intended to come into contact with food. New rules define and require additional declarations at various processing stages, clarify customs procedures for imports, and adjust registration and compliance monitoring for recycling installations. Transitional measures allow products placed on the market prior to these amendments to remain available for a limited period.
Delegated Decision on Crystal Glass Packaging: Temporary Derogation and Transition
Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2026/1948 of 12 August 2026 amends Decision 2001/171/EC to allow crystal glass packaging exceeding heavy metal concentration limits, as specified in Regulation (EU) 2025/40, until 31 December 2029. The derogation is subject to dealkalisation treatment, permanent marking for traceability, and closed-loop recycling, with the industry to cease lead crystal production by 31 December 2028. The measure aims to balance environmental and health objectives with the technical transition in the crystal glass sector.
EU Council
Agriculture and Fisheries Council Agrees on CAP Position, Baltic Fishing Opportunities
On 26 October 2026, the Agriculture and Fisheries Council agreed its partial negotiating position on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy regulation in the context of the EU’s next long-term budget. Ministers also reached political agreement on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2027 and prepared the EU’s position for the annual ICCAT meeting.
Transport and Energy Ministers Debate Electricity Network Charges and Energy Security
Energy ministers met on 29 October 2026 in Luxembourg to discuss the proposed regulation on electricity network charges, exchange views on immediate and long-term energy security, and examine potential post-2030 energy targets.
