In conjunction with International Women's Day on 8 March, significant activity took place in Brussels, with several thousand participants taking part in the ‘World March of Women’, as well as notable activities within the European Union. Particularly noteworthy is the publication of the new Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030. The Commission presented it on 5 March 2026, pointing out that at the current pace of change, it would take another 50 years for the EU to achieve full gender equality.

Both internationally and in Europe, workers' rights are coming under increasing pressure. This was the focus of this year's New Year's Reception hosted by AK and ÖGB. There was consensus that democracy, welfare policy, and trade union rights are all the more important in times of crisis and must be defended. The fact that Austria is one of the countries where labour law violations occur only sporadically in international comparison is due to the comparatively strong representation of workers and the leading position in collective agreement coverage across the country.

The debate on the EU's new multiannual financial framework frequently centres on spending. However, the EU Commission also presented proposals for new own resources to finance the EU budget. In fact, calls for new own resources have been heard for some time, but have so far largely fallen on deaf ears. The aim would also be to ease the burden on Member States, as the majority of the budget is financed through their national contributions. Overall, financing must also be socially fair.

On 1 January 2026, Cyprus took over the EU Council Presidency from Denmark. Cyprus has been a member of the EU since 2004 and is holding the Council Presidency for the second time this year, following 2012. Under the motto 'An autonomous union. Open to the world', Cyprus has set out its priorities for the next six months, aiming to address major and diverse geopolitical challenges with strength and unity.

The Autumn Package within the framework of the EU Semester sets the course for employment, social, economic and fiscal policy in the following year. In 2026, increasing competitiveness will be the top priority, along with a budget policy focused on consolidation. New additions include a document on human capital and a stronger link between the EU Semester and the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework.

In July 2025, the European Commission presented its draft Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034, which envisages far-reaching changes in Cohesion Policy. The existing structural funds – including the European Social Fund+ and the Just Transition Fund – are to be combined into a new ‘National and Regional Partnership Plan’ (NRPP), which may weaken social and regional development goals. Linking payments to the achievement of milestones and the connection to the EU Semester has, among other, also been met with sharp criticism.

On 21 October, the EU Commission presented its work programme for 2026. It builds on the political guidelines set out by the President of the EU Commission in summer 2024 and on her latest State of the Union address. The programme aims to find answers to current challenges such as threats to European security and democracy, geopolitical tensions, risks to industrial value creation and the climate crisis. Unlike the 2025 work programme, legislative proposals for a social Europe are also planned. 

To boost competitiveness, the EU has set a goal of reducing bureaucracy and reporting obligations, primarily to benefit businesses. This has increasingly evolved into a far-reaching deregulation agenda affecting numerous fields. Workers’ and consumers’ rights are increasingly coming under pressure. Through several omnibus packages, the EU is intervening in multiple legislative acts via fast-track procedures. However, the Omnibus I package was recently - at least for now - halted in the European Parliament, while further omnibus packages are already in preparation.

Besides the 27 national design rules, the EU Commission also intends to launch an optional EU-wide regulatory framework for companies, referred to as the 28th regime. While businesses promote the facilitation of Europe-wide activities and better access to risk capital, employees urgently caution against the erosion of important protection standards, for example in the areas of labour law or corporate co-determination. Hence it is vital that the interests of employees are taken into account.

In a recent dossier published by Social Europe, a group of industrial policy and innovation scholars analyse the current challenges facing EU industrial policy. They highlight the conceptual and practical shortcomings of the current approach to industrial policy and set out their vision for an EU industrial policy that is based on social inclusion and effective governance. To mark the publication of the dossier, AK EUROPA, in cooperation with the Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE), organised a large public event in Brussels on 15 September 2025.