News 2026

Last 27 August in Paris, intervening at the at the annual conference "La Rencontre des Entrepreneurs de France 2026", Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set out six areas for reviving European growth: fairer rules and competition, finance, the Single Market, energy, artificial intelligence and trade. The common thread was clear: European companies need enough certainty and room to invest, produce and grow in Europe.

On simplification, she confirmed the target of reducing administrative burdens by 25% for all businesses and 35% for SMEs by 2029. She also called for an EU-wide review of existing rules to remove duplication, reduce reporting and speed up permitting. Member States, she said, must tackle national gold-plating. For construction, delivery will be the real test: faster permits, proportionate reporting and more consistent implementation across countries.

The industrial strand is equally important. The Industrial Accelerator Act combines European preference, faster permitting and lead markets for steel, cement, aluminium, vehicles, batteries and clean technologies. The Commission plans to use public procurement and public support more strategically to promote low-carbon production, stronger value chains and European industry. These measures could directly affect project specifications, sourcing choices and tender conditions.

The Commission also wants to speed up electrification across industry, transport and buildings, supported by faster investment in grids, connections and storage. For FIEC members, this points to growing demand for infrastructure. Turning that demand into projects will, however, require predictable finance, workable criteria for companies of all sizes and enough skilled workers. Construction is therefore not only a beneficiary of Europe's competitiveness agenda; it is one of the conditions for delivering it.

Click here to read full speech by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.