Since mid‑2023, the EU’s sustainability agenda – once the flagship of von der Leyen’s first Commission – has been steadily recalibrated. Amid geopolitical uncertainty, energy price swings, and calls for competitiveness, several Green Deal proposals were either softened or deferred to her second term.

This shift highlights the EU’s challenge in balancing industrial resilience with environmental ambition. Supporters see it as a necessary realignment to secure Europe’s strategic autonomy in an increasingly competitive global landscape. Critics, however, warn of delayed progress on environmental and public health goals. 

🧭 As the EU navigates these competing priorities, the next 12–18 months will be critical in shaping the balance between competitiveness, innovation, and sustainability. 

📖 To unpack these developments further, we’ve issued a policy note that analyses the proposals in depth and explores the potential technical and institutional challenges facing their implementation.