Rapporteur Talks

The European automotive sector is at a crucial turning point, facing rapid technological advancements and growing competition. To navigate these changes, in January 2025, President von der Leyen launched a Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry.

Building on this dialogue, in March 2025, the Commission introduced an Automotive Action Plan, outlining concrete measures to strengthen the industry's resilience, ensure its sustainability, and unlock its full innovative potential.

While the plan takes a broad approach to the automotive industry, some stakeholders argue that it lacks specific actions addressing the needs of the commercial vehicle sector, although the Heavy-Duty Vehicle (HDV) sector plays a crucial role in Europe's economy and environmental goals.

Listen this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss the importance and potential of the Heavy-Duty Vehicle sector within the framework of the Automotive Action Plan. Questions to be discussed include:

• How can the Automotive Action Plan better address the challenges and opportunities of the HDV sector?
• How can policymakers and industry leaders collaborate to enhance innovation and competitiveness in the HDV sector?
• How can European manufacturers stay competitive in the face of increasing global competition in the commercial vehicle market?

The European Union’s EU4Ocean initiative brings together various organisations, projects, and individuals committed to promoting ocean literacy and sustainable ocean management. In this episode, we talk to Dr Andrea Bozman (winner of the MakeEUBlue Award 2024) and Farhat-Un-Nisá Bajwa (Young Ocean Advocate) about their ocean literacy projects. We learn how they came to be, the challenges encountered, and the power of collaboration.

In this Policy Triangle, supported by European Movement International, we delve into civil society and the Green Deal. 

The European Green Deal emerged from a political landscape shaped by growing climate awareness and the electoral green wave. However, successive crises—from COVID to energy instability—have reshaped priorities, making the path forward more complex. As concerns over competitiveness, security, and strategic independence grow, how can the Green Deal adapt while staying on track? 
 
This discussion explores whether the European Commission is truly listening to civil society, the role of disinformation in shaping public perception, and how to align environmental and economic goals for a just transition.
 
We’re thrilled to host three experts and hear their thoughts on this topic: Elina Bardram, Director, Adaptation & Resilience, Communication, and Civil. Society Relations, DG CLIMA, European Commission; Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle, Member of the European Parliament; Petros Fassoulas, Secretary General, European Movement International.

This collaboration was done in the context of the REAL DEAL, a research project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101037071.

The Automotive industry as a whole is living through systemic changes and challenges at an unprecedented pace. Technological developments in vehicle components, together with the exponential rate of its connectivity, are making manufacturing, driving, and repair and maintenance a different reality. At the same time, e-mobility solutions and the deployment of Electric Vehicles, as well as the arrival of an entirely new kind of engines and parts deeply impact the entire automotive ecosystem. One crucial part of the industry is navigating these changes with steady force and leading in innovation and circularity practices: the Independent Aftermarket (IAM).

In the current geopolitical incertitude, rising trade wars and protectionism, the European Commission has established as one of its main priorities for the starting mandate the reinforcement of the automotive industry and European companies' competitiveness.

In this context, the IAM in general and parts distribution and wholesaling in particular, represented by FIGIEFA, call on a holistic approach of the entire automotive ecosystem for this Action Plan and future European legislation. The Roland Berger Aftermarket Panorama study that will be presented at this event will show the extent to which the IAM is capital in driving the sector and the whole industrial competitiveness for Europe, together with an unmatched economic and societal impact.

In the aftermath of the publication of the European Commission Automotive Industrial Action Plan released on the 5th of March, we will assess what is ahead of us by bringing the voice of the IAM industry, consumers, and policymakers together. We will discuss the strengths of the plan, important missing elements, and how the Independent Aftermarket is a key part of the industry that needs to be in the core of the European institutions strategies if they want this plan’s objectives to be achieved.

Mental wellbeing has become more present on the EU policymakers’ agenda in recent years, especially when it comes to young people. According to the European Commission, nearly half of European youth aged 15-29 have unmet mental health needs, compared to 23% of adults. Moreover, about half of the mental health problems affecting adults have their onset during or before adolescence.

Over the past years, with an acceleration of global and regional crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health problems among people aged between 15 and 24 have only been exacerbated, and even doubled, as the figures show. Feelings of depression, anxiety and loneliness are much more common in young people than in adults. Excessive use of digital technology in youth also has more significant negative effects, including reduction in physical social contacts, social comparison, increased anxiety or decreased self-esteem, cyberbullying, addiction to online gaming etc.

According to OECD data, the economic burden of mental wellbeing among youth can rise to up to 4% of EU GDP annually, equivalent to over €600 billion per year, owing primarily to reduced productivity, healthcare costs, and social welfare expenditure.

In 2023, the European Commission announced that, as of 2025, the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) will include additional data on mental health to ensure a stronger monitoring and assessment of progress on mental health across the EU. However, some stakeholders argue that a lot more focus should be placed on prevention and promotion of youth mental wellbeing, and that a systemic change is required in order to improve the situation.

Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss how the EU could foster a more supportive environment for youth mental health. Questions to be addressed include:
- How can the EU increase support for prevention and promotion of youth mental wellbeing? What would a systemic change look like?
- What are some of the best practices regarding youth mental wellbeing implemented across Europe? What do successful initiatives look like?
- What forms of partnerships should prevail – between the public, private, civil society sectors - to implement successful initiatives?
- How can youth perspectives be best reflected in youth policies?

The rise and integration of AI in our daily lives is not a futuristic fantasy, and of course, journalism is not exempt. The last few years have seen newsrooms experiment with and integrate AI for various purposes, while the debate whether this leads to better journalism carries on.

In this podcast, host Xhoi Zajmi and Euractiv’s tech reporter, Jacob Wulff Wold, discuss the state of AI in journalism, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Renewable and low-carbon molecules are set to play a key role in Europe’s transition to a sustainable and decarbonised future. The Hydrogen and decarbonised gas market package entered into force in August 2024, providing a clear regulatory framework for the transport of these energy transition gases and diversifying supply sources. The package also aims to contribute to the EU’s energy resilience, security and strategic autonomy objectives.

Scaling up and prioritising investments in repurposed infrastructure – such as pipelines for transporting hydrogen and carbon dioxide – are seen as central for energy system integration and stability. These investments are also important deliverables for the new 5-year term of the European institutions, which prioritise growth and competitiveness alongside climate neutrality and strategic energy sovereignty.

A European hydrogen backbone is a major step to deliver on decarbonisation. Within this framework, repurposing gas pipelines to hydrogen service can cut investment costs by 50-80% compared to creating new pipelines.

The EU Industrial carbon management strategy calls for the implementation of a net-zero industry act target of at least 50 million tonnes of CO2 storage capacity. This will require connecting emitters with storage sites. However, little detail is provided on how to enable hydrogen and CO2 infrastructures on time and at the right scale to serve transition to a new energy landscape.

Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss the role of repurposed pipelines in delivering the EU’s decarbonisation targets. Questions to be addressed include:
- What are the best strategies to address the contribution that hydrogen and carbon dioxide infrastructure can provide to achieve EU climate targets in a cost-efficient manner?
- How can the current regulatory and funding frameworks for hydrogen and carbon dioxide infrastructure help - or hinder - the necessary investments?
- How and to what extent does repurposing of natural gas pipelines help in reducing energy costs for industry competing on a global scale and lowering the bills for EU households?

The EU Forest Strategy for 2030, a key component of the European Green Deal, aims to strengthen the protection, restoration, and resilience of forests across the EU. Forests play a critical role as carbon sinks, as well as preserving biodiversity, and supporting ecosystems. Enhancing their resilience and diversity is essential for better managing environmental challenges and adapting to climate change.

The strategy includes a mix of regulatory, financial, and voluntary measures for 2021-2030, focusing on forests' multifunctional role. Key actions involve promoting sustainable forest management, increasing forest size and biodiversity by planting 3 billion trees by 2030, and offering financial incentives for forest owners and managers to adopt environmentally friendly practices. And currently under review by the European Parliament and the Council is the introduction of regulation on EU forest monitoring, reporting, and data collection.

Listen to this Euractiv Virtual Conference to reflect on the EU Forest Strategy for 2030 and assess its progress as it nears the halfway point.

Questions to be addressed include:

- As the halfway mark approaches, what are the key achievements of the EU Forest Strategy so far, and where does it fall short?
- Have member states aligned their efforts, or are there significant disparities in implementation? Which countries have seen the most success, and why?
- How have forest owners, managers, and the broader forest industry responded to the strategy? Are the financial incentives and support measures sufficient to enable them to adopt environmentally friendly practices?
- Has the planting of 3 billion new trees by 2030 progressed as planned, and what challenges remain in achieving this goal?

Life Terra is co-financed by the European Commission through the LIFE Programme (LIFE19 CCM/NL/001200).

The content of this publication represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility. The Agency does not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.

Renewable carbon is carbon originating from a sustainably sourced renewable resource that can be naturally or artificially grown or replenished within aforeseeable time frame by processes found in nature. Unlike fossil carbon from the geosphere, renewable carbon does not reintroduce long-stored carbon into the atmosphere, making it a more sustainable option.

Sustainably sourced wood provides a reliable, renewable, material, offering various applications in construction, furniture, packaging, clothing, bio-chemicals and renewable energy. Renewable raw materials, such as wood, play a crucial role in developing a more circular economy. As losses and degradation always take place, no material can be reused or recycled forever. Virgin renewable raw materials can be supplied according to principles of circular economy, for example wood from regenerative forestry.

These wood-based solutions align with the objectives of the European Commission’s proposed EU Circular Economy Act, which aims to transform industrial resource use, minimise waste, and boost Europe’s competitiveness. Wood can serve as an effective alternative to non-renewable materials like plastics. When combining with other construction materials like concrete and steel, wood can pave the way towards more sustainable low-carbon building.

Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss the role of wood-based value chains and renewable carbon in achieving a more circular economy in Europe. Questions to be discussed include:

- What role do wood-based value chains currently play in the EU circular economy? What is their potential?
- How can the EU promote the utilisation of wood in hybrid construction?
- What are the environmental benefits of the use of renewable carbon as a resource?
- What policy measures are needed to benefit from renewable carbon and wood-base?

Rural communities are more than energy consumers—they are critical contributors to Europe’s industrial and energy ecosystem. These regions play a dual role by providing essential support for heating, cooking, and powering businesses while also serving as hubs for clean energy innovation and production. Energy-intensive industries, such as ceramics, food processing, and small-scale manufacturing, are often the backbone of rural economies and require sustainable energy solutions to remain competitive?

As part of this dialogue, Liquid Gas Europe will present its Outlook for the Production of Renewable Liquid Gases in 2040 and 2050, offering an in-depth analysis of how bioLPG and other renewable liquid gases will contribute to Europe's energy transition. This outlook will provide critical insights into production forecasts, market growth, and their role in achieving decarbonization goals?

The Clean Industrial Deal presents a transformative opportunity to decarbonize households, transportation, and industries, positioning Europe as a global leader in renewable liquid gas production. Against the backdrop of the Affordable Energy Act and the Competitiveness Fund, which aim to address the urgent need for accessible and renewable energy, this event will explore how targeted policies and innovative solutions can empower rural communities and industries alike?

This dialogue will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and rural stakeholders to discuss actionable strategies for transitioning to renewable energy sources while ensuring competitiveness and economic resilience for rural areas?

Organised by: Liquid Gas Europe
Media Partner: Euractiv