DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 07 August 2026
Commission disburses €2.32 billion to Portugal under NextGenerationEU
Today, the European Commission disbursed €2.32 billion (net of pre-financing) to Portugal, marking the ninth payment under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The RRF, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU, is the Commission's post-pandemic programme to support Member States' recovery, economic growth, and competitiveness.
The reforms and investments linked to this payment request represent an important step towards greater digitalisation of public administration and public services, access to finance and improvements in key areas, including education, waste management and the circular economy, business simplification and forest management.
They include measures to modernise vocational education and training, support competitiveness and remove barriers to environmental licensing, easing administrative burdens and facilitating more efficient investment. They also include investments in strengthening risk prevention and sustainable land use and in expanding waste management capacity.
Today's disbursement follows Portugal's ninth payment request, submitted on 18 May 2026 and greenlighted by the Commission on 2 July, after having received the favourable opinion of the Economic and Financial Committee of the Council. With this ninth payment, Portugal has received overall €17.23 billion, including €2.33 billion in pre-financing. This amount corresponds to 78.67% of its total €21.905 billion allocation, with 74.54% of all milestones and targets under its national recovery and resilience plan now fulfilled.
As with all Member States, payments to Portugal under the RRF are performance based and contingent upon the successful implementation of the commitments in its recovery and resilience plan. With a view to the closure of the Facility at the end of 2026, Member States must implement all outstanding milestones and targets by August 2026 and submit their last payment requests by the end of September 2026.
An interactive map showcasing examples of reforms and investments supported by the RRF is available online. Further details on the RRF payment claim process are also available online.
(For further information: Louise Bogey – Tel.: +32 229-69776; Isabel Arriaga e Cunha – Tel: +32 229-521176)
Commission approves new geographical indication from Poland
The European Commission has approved the registration of Kiełbasa pradziada z Dukli from Poland as a Protected geographical indication (PGI).
Kiełbasa pradziada z Dukli is a sausage made of meat and liver from pigs of the Puławska breed or crossbreeds, originating from Dukla, a municipality in the southeast of Poland. The sausage is known for its rich flavour profile combining ham with noticeable pieces of pork liver and a deep smoky aroma from traditional beech and alder wood, with added sweet cherry or sour cherry wood. The raw materials and the production process are rooted in local knowledge and expertise that are passed down from generation to generation.
This new designation joins the more than 3,900 protected names already listed in the eAmbrosia database.
More information is available on the Quality Policy pages.
(For more information: Louise Bogey – Tel.: +32 229-69776; Thérèse Lerebours – Tel.: +32 460 76 33 03)
Commission clears acquisition of Atlantic Aviation by Apollo Funds and KKR
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Atlantic Aviation Holding Corporation (‘Atlantic Aviation') by Apollo Global Management, Inc., L.P. (together with its subsidiaries and investment funds, ‘Apollo Funds') and KKR & Co. Inc. (‘KKR'), all of the US.
The transaction relates primarily to ground handling services in North America and the Carribean.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the limited impact on the European Economic Area. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.12427.
(For more information: Siobhan McGarry– Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschütz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83)
Commission clears acquisition of eMAG by Naspers
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of Dante International S.A. (‘eMAG') of Romania by Naspers Limited of South Africa.
The transaction relates primarily to the retail sector.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given that the companies are not active in the same or vertically related markets and the limited impact on the market structure. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.12496.
Statement by Executive Vice-President Mînzatu on a proposal for a European Day in Remembrance of Victims of Accidents at Work ahead of the 70 year commemoration of the Marcinelle tragedy
Ahead of the 70-year commemoration of the Marcinelle tragedy, and in light of the European Commission's proposal for a European Day in Remembrance of Victims of Accidents at Work, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness Roxana Mînzatu issued the following statement:
“Seventy years ago, on 8 August 1956, 262 workers of 12 nationalities, many of which from Italy, died in a fire at the Bois du Cazier coal mine in Marcinelle, Belgium. Most had come to Belgium in search of work and a better future. They never returned home.
Everyone who goes to work should return home safely. That is the most fundamental commitment we owe to workers. It has not changed since the Marcinelle accident, and neither has our responsibility to uphold it.
That is why, following calls from the European Parliament and several Member States, we have proposed to establish an annual European Day in Remembrance of the Victims of Accidents at Work. It will be observed annually on 8 August.
This will not be a day devoted only to commemorating those that lost their lives in the Marcinelle disaster and other tragic occupational accidents. It will we a yearly opportunity to renew Europe's commitment to prevention and reaffirm our ambition to eliminate work-related accidents and deaths, in every sector and in every Member State. (...)”
The full statement is available online.
(For more information: Eva Hrncirova - Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Eirini Zarkadoula - Tel.: +32 2 295 70 65)
Tentative agendas for forthcoming Commission meetings
Note that these items can be subject to changes.
Upcoming events of the European Commission
Eurostat press releases
Calendar items of the President and Commissioners
Individual calendars of the President and Commissioners
Commission accelerates IRIS² deployment with enhanced security and expanded satellites network
Today, the European Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium concluded negotiations and signed an implementation agreement to roll out IRIS², the European Union's new flagship satellite constellation. The agreement, among other things, adds 66 satellites into low Earth orbit to the programme, bringing the main constellation to 348 satellites, and moving it from planning to full-scale deployment.
These negotiations, which began in January, confirmed the programme's key parameters and necessary adjustments, including the design, system capacity, deployment schedule, target price and private operators' investment. Under the agreement, European manufacturers have committed to delivering the additional satellites, designed with enhanced resilience. Concrete next steps are now in place to achieve first launches by 2029.
Once operational, the constellation will provide sovereign, secure and highly reliable connectivity for European governments, defence and security forces, and emergency services across Europe.
From plans to deployment: concrete next steps towards 2029
The Commission, the European Space Agency and the EU Agency for the Space Programme, together with the SpaceRISE consortium and European industrial partners, have defined the next steps needed to deliver IRIS². These include finalising the detailed design of the satellite constellation, preparing the construction of satellites and secure ground infrastructure, securing launch services, and progressively deploying operational connectivity services from 2029 onwards.
The future constellation will comprise 348 satellites, consisting of 330 satellites in low Earth orbit and 18 satellites in Medium Earth Orbit, with additional optional elements to support specific missions.
A reinforced constellation for security and resilience
To respond to a changing security environment, the Commission is increasing the capacity of IRIS² beyond the original design. A dedicated layer of an additional 66 High-low Earth orbit satellites will strengthen capabilities for defence, security and emergency services further enhancing its architecture.
This reinforcement will increase secure governmental capacity by 60% within the EU and 54% globally, while significantly expanding Europe's ability to support critical missions during crises.
European industry commits to delivering IRIS²
IRIS² will be built through a strong Team Europe approach, combining the expertise of the European Commission, Member States, the European Space Agency, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and European industry. Under the public-private partnership, the SpaceRISE consortium (consisting of SES, EUTELSAT and HISPASAT) and European manufacturers have committed to deliver the required space and ground infrastructure to meet the accelerated timeline.
The industrial team includes major European space companies such as Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, OHB and Aerospacelab, together with numerous companies across the European supply chain. By design, the programme will also generate opportunities for start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-caps developing innovative space technologies.
Secure connectivity when it matters most
IRIS² will enable authorised governmental users across EU Member States and participating countries, currently Norway and Iceland, to communicate securely and continuously during critical operations. Whether responding to emergencies, protecting critical infrastructure or supporting security missions, IRIS² will provide Europe with an autonomous and resilient connectivity capability.
Ensuring value for money
The faster deployment and increased capacity required for defence and security needs mean an additional investment in the programme budget. This investment will support enhanced satellite technologies and the deployment of the expanded constellation, while ensuring efficient use of existing programme resources. Funding will come from a combination of EU budget resources for 2028–2034 and additional investments from Member States and third countries.
Member States are already strengthening IRIS² through national investments to address specific additional needs. Poland and Hungary have already committed €656 million and €500 million respectively, while Spain has announced investments between €1.6 and €2 billion. Further Member State contributions are under consideration, with the relevant agreements currently being finalised.
Next steps
With a clear roadmap setting out the next steps, the Commission sent an official letter to the European Parliament and Member States to inform them of the outcome of the negotiations and the implementation phase.
Under the leadership of the Commission and the technical expertise of the European Space Agency, the SpaceRISE consortium will now accelerate programme development. This includes satellite manufacturing, the procurement of launch services, and the development of secure ground infrastructure to ensure the timely deployment of the constellation.
Background
IRIS² satellite network will provide sovereign, secure and reliable connectivity across Europe and beyond. It helps protect Europe's connectivity independence and ensures that governments, emergency services and citizens can stay connected, even in remote areas or during crises.
On 16 December 2024, the Commission signed the 12-year IRIS² concession contract with the SpaceRISE consortium (SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat), turning the EU's planned secure satellite connectivity system into an officially funded and legally binding project. The agreement launched the public-private partnership to design, build, deploy and operate IRIS².
Since December 2024, the SpaceRISE consortium and the Commission have focused on detailing the system design, allocating industrial work packages, and preparing large-scale procurement for satellites, launch services and ground infrastructure. At the same time, they have continued refining the constellation architecture and security requirements.
The Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium began negotiations on the programme's governance, technical set-up and financing, known as Rendezvous 1, in January 2026. The negotiations were concluded on 7 August 2026.
For more information
IRIS²: the new EU Secure Satellite Constellation
IRIS² factsheet
IRIS² video
Quote(s)
Today we are taking a decisive step forward for Europe’s security and digital sovereignty. By accelerating the delivery of early defence and security services and reinforcing the IRIS² architecture, we will not only bring the network into operation ahead of schedule but also boost secure governmental capacity by more than 60% within the Union. This reinforced, faster-to-market constellation will give our Member States, emergency services and citizens the resilient, autonomous connectivity they need now and in the crises of the future.
Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space