EU Insight 04 September 2026

Brussels, 4 September 2026

COUNCIL AGREES TO THE NEW EU CUSTOMS FRAMEWORK REFORM

The Council has endorsed a new regulation revising the Union’s customs rules in depth for the first time in decades. The reform responds in particular to the growth of e‑commerce by clarifying that non‑EU online platforms selling into the EU are treated as importers and must comply with customs obligations. It also introduces an EU‑wide penalties regime for operators that fail to meet their duties and an extra fee on low‑value parcels to reflect the costs of processing the rising number of small consignments. The legislation further creates a decentralised EU customs authority to support oversight and risk analysis, and a new ‘trust and check’ trader status granting simplified procedures to the most reliable firms.

COMMISSION EXPANDS LIST OF VERY LARGE SERVICES UNDER THE DSA

The Commission has added ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox to the group of services subject to the strictest tier of obligations under the Digital Services Act. The three companies informed Brussels that they exceed the 45 million average monthly users threshold in the EU, which places ChatGPT in the category of very large online search engines and Reddit and Roblox among the very large online platforms. As a result, they now face reinforced duties to identify and reduce systemic risks, including the spread of illegal content and wider impacts on minors, users’ well‑being, public debate, security and fundamental rights. The decision also gives the Commission more direct oversight and investigative powers over how these services operate.

NEXTGENERATIONEU REACHES FINAL REFORMS AND INVESTMENTS DEADLINE

The Recovery and Resilience Facility, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU, has entered its final phase as Member States reach the deadline to complete the reforms and investments in their national recovery and resilience plans. Set up as a common EU response to the COVID‑19 crisis and subsequent shocks, the facility has supported economic activity, helped keep unemployment low and sped up investment in renewable energy and clean technologies. Member States now have until 30 September 2026 to submit their final payment requests, with the Commission due to finalise all disbursements by 31 December 2026. The Commission underlined that the priority is now to complete the remaining steps so that the plans can deliver their intended benefits for citizens and businesses.

EU MARITIME VALUE CHAIN ALLIANCE TO SUPPORT INDUSTRIAL SOVEREIGNTY

The Commission has launched a new Maritime Industrial Alliance, bringing together shipyards, shipowners, investors, Member States and social partners across the value chain to reinforce Europe’s maritime industrial and technological base. Building on the maritime strategy presented in March, the alliance will focus on specific market segments with potential to expand European manufacturing capacity, foster public‑private cooperation and drive targeted investment. It will also help develop business cases for scaling up production in technologies important for the EU’s manufacturing base, while tackling trade and competitiveness challenges. The maritime sector is expected to contribute to more resilient supply chains, support defence preparedness and advance the green and digital transitions.

COMMISSION ADOPTS GUIDELINES ON DOMINANT COMPANIES’ EXCLUSIONARY CONDUCT

The Commission has published guidelines on how it applies Article 102 TFEU to potentially exclusionary practices by companies with market power. It aims to reinforce enforcement of EU competition rules. The document follows nearly three years of work, during which the Commission ran consultations and workshops with national competition authorities, Member States and other stakeholders. The guidelines are intended to help companies assess whether they hold a dominant position and to clarify the criteria used to determine when their conduct departs from competition on the merits and may foreclose rivals. They also explain in which circumstances such conduct can be justified, for example, where it is objectively necessary or generates efficiencies that ultimately benefit consumers.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK

• 6-8 September: Informal meeting of agriculture ministers.
• 9 September: College of Commissioners. On the agenda: Affordable Housing Act, Public Procurement Act, European Innovation Act, outermost regions package.