DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 17 November 2025
Commission allocates over €600 million for 70 projects deploying alternative fuels infrastructure across Europe
The European Commission has selected 70 projects to help decarbonise transport and strengthen the competitiveness of EU industries by installing the infrastructure needed for recharging or refueling the different transport modes. These projects will receive over €600 million in funding from the Connecting Europe Facility to stimulate sustainable investments in urban areas, including ports and airports, as well as along road sections of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T).
The supported projects are located across Europe. For example, 24 ports will receive funds to deploy onshore power supply, to green their port operations, and to invest in ammonia bunkering infrastructure. These measures will help the sector transition to renewable and low-carbon fuels, which is a priority supported by the recent Sustainable Transport Investment Plan.
Meanwhile, the network of publicly available charging points along the TEN-T will grow by over 500 locations with the introduction of new charging infrastructure for lorries, including megawatt chargers.
Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) is a key driver of the EU's efforts to expand alternative fuel supply infrastructure across its trans-European transport network. It complements the ReFuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime Regulations, which aim to decarbonise the aviation and maritime sectors. Due to the exhaustion of funds, the third cut-off will be cancelled. The Commission will now assess the potential reflows and subsequently prepare a new work programme and call for proposals in the coming months.
Visit CINEA for more information on the projects selected.
(For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Anni Juusola - Tel.: +32 2 296 09 86)
New Satellite Sentinel-6B begins mission to measure changing seas
Rising sea levels are reshaping our planet and Europe is strengthening its ability to track these changes. Copernicus Sentinel-6B, a joint US-European ocean monitoring satellite, was successfully launched earlier this morning from Vandenberg Base in California, marking an important milestone for the EU's Earth observation programme at a time of record ocean temperatures and accelerating sea-level rise.
The satellite carries a highly accurate radar altimeter that can measure ocean height to within a centimetre. This level of precision is essential for monitoring one of the clearest indicators of climate change. The data it provides will support governments and coastal communities in preparing for flooding, erosion, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
Sentinel-6 is a joint EU–US mission bringing together the expertise of EUMETSAT, ESA, NASA, NOAA and CNES to provide the world's most precise record of global sea levels. Sentinel-6B will now undergo several months of in-orbit calibration before entering full operational service.
This launch is the fourth successful Copernicus Sentinel mission of 2025 — following Sentinel-4A, Sentinel-5A and Sentinel-1D — further strengthening Europe's leadership in global Earth observation.
Copernicus is the Earth Observation component of the EU Space Programme.
Read more about the Sentinel-6 mission online.
(For more information: Thomas Regnier +32 2 299 10 99, Marine Strauss +32 298 91 03)
Statement by Executive Vice-President Mînzatu and Commissioner Lahbib ahead of European Equal Pay Day
Ahead of Equal Pay Day, Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu and Commissioner Hadja Lahbib have issued the following statement:
“Equal Pay Day falls on 17 November this year – this marks the date from which women in the EU symbolically begin ‘working for free' until the end of the year.
Ahead of this important day, we reaffirm our commitment to a Union of Equality – one where women and girls are economically empowered and can fully participate in a labour market that offers equal opportunities and fair treatment for all.
There is no reason why men and women should be paid differently for doing the same job. The principle of equal pay between women and men for the same work, or work of equal value, is enshrined in EU law since 1957. It is essential to enforce this core principle, as well as to improve access to justice for the victims of pay discrimination. This is why we are working with Member States to implement the Pay Transparency Directive, an important step towards equal pay.
The latest data shows that women's gross hourly earnings were on average 12% below those of men in the EU. Barriers to closing this gap remain, such as those related to care responsibilities. Women continue to bear a disproportionate share of household and childcare duties, with informal care work often carried out in parallel to formal jobs. The Work-Life Balance Directive promotes a more equal sharing of caring responsibilities between women and men and we also call on Member States to invest in high-quality, affordable, and accessible care services, as set out in the European Care Strategy.”
The full statement with background information is available online.
(For more information: Eva Hrncirova-Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray - Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73)
Commission meets with EU's Outermost Regions to discuss future strategy
Tomorrow, Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto will host the High-Level Forum of the Outermost Regions in Brussels. Discussions will focus on strengthening resilience, competitiveness, and the valorisation of these regions' unique assets. Insights from the discussions will feed into the upcoming new strategy for Outermost Regions which, along with a set of regulatory simplification measures, will be presented by the Commission in the first half of 2026. Additionally, the Commission will publish soon a call for evidence to gather further input for this strategy.
The Forum will be opened by Executive Vice-President Fitto as well as Commissioners Christopher Hansen for Agriculture and Food, Costas Kadis for Fisheries and Oceans, and Apostolos Tzitzikostas for Sustainable Transport and Tourism. Other high-level speakers include European Parliament Vice-President Younous Ormajee, members of the French, Portuguese and Spanish Governments, and Ary Chalus, President of Guadeloupe and current holder of the Presidency of the Conference of Presidents of the Outermost Regions. Plenary discussions will follow with all nine Presidents of the Outermost Regions, national authorities as well as members of the European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions.
(For more information: Maciej Berestecki: +32 229-66483; Isabel Arriaga e Cunha +32 229-52117)
Commissioner Šuica holds Implementation Dialogue on Empowering older generations
Tomorrow, Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, responsible for the Mediterranean and Demography, will host an Implementation Dialogue in Brussels on empowering older people and sustaining their welfare.
This is a pillar of the EU's Demography Toolbox, which focuses on actions to support Member States when it comes to policies on ageing, age-discrimination and healthy longevity. Participants will include representatives of civil society organisations, social partners, national authorities, as well as experts in demography and ageing.
The Dialogue will give participants an opportunity to share their views and insights on best practices and concrete experiences in addressing the challenges and opportunities related to demographic change, with a particular focus on empowering older people and promoting age equality. The discussion will also explore ways to improve the effectiveness of EU policies and initiatives in this area.
The Dialogue will focus on three key aspects: ageism and discrimination on the grounds of age, healthy longevity as a way to prevent diseases and ensure longer years spent in good health, and the longevity economy. The feedback collected during the event will contribute to the Commission's ongoing work on demography and ageing and help inform future policy initiatives.
Implementation Dialogues are part of the Commission's commitment to seek feedback from stakeholders for the implementation and simplification of EU policies. As outlined in the Commission's Communication on Implementation and Simplification for the 2024-2029 mandate, all Members of the College of Commissioners must host such Dialogues annually. This is Commissioner Šuica's second Implementation Dialogue, following one on people-to-people initiatives in the Mediterranean that took place in July 2025.
(For more information: Markus Lammert - Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Luca Dilda – Tel.: +32 229 52 153)
Commissioner Kos hosts first EU Enlargement Forum
Tomorrow, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos will launch the first EU Enlargement Forum 2025, ‘Completing the Union, Securing Our Future'. The event will bring together political leaders, civil society, youth and business representatives from Member States and enlargement partners to discuss the way forward towards a larger and stronger Union.
The event will begin with an opening video message from President von der Leyen, followed by a keynote speech by Commissioner Kos, launching a full day of debate on the strategic direction of EU enlargement. The Forum will be attended by High Representative/Vice-President, Kaja Kallas, President of the European Council, António Costa, as well the Prime Ministers of Moldova and Montenegro among others. Discussions will address Europe's geopolitical priorities, the expectations of citizens, and the measures needed to strengthen both the Union's capacity to welcome new members and partners' preparedness to join.
The Forum will also provide an opportunity to discuss this year's Enlargement package and the progress achieved by the enlargement partners over the past twelve months, confirming that enlargement stands high on the EU's agenda and that the accession of new Member States is increasingly within reach.
More information on the Forum, including its livestream are available on our webpage.
(For more information: Markus Lammert - Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Yuliya Matsyk – Tel.: +32 460 76 15 41)
Commission strengthens cooperation with the Olympic movement
Today, Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef is hosting a high-level dialogue with presidents of the EU National Olympic Committees and the European Olympic Committees. This dialogue takes place as part of the ongoing consultation process (open from 15 September until 8 December 2025) to prepare the Commission's future Communication on ‘A Strategic Vision for Sport in Europe: Reinforcing the European Sport Model'. It aims to gather views on priorities needed for European sport and to discuss what the renewed European Sport Model should stand for. It also aims to explore ways to promote good governance and integrity in sports, as well as the autonomy of sport organisations. Building on the legacy of Paris 2024 and ahead of Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, participants will also discuss how the games can inspire people to engage in sport in the long run, especially young people, and further promote inclusion and gender equality.
Commissioner Micallef will also meet with the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, today. Such meetings are important for the Commission's long-standing cooperation with the Olympic movement, based on shared values of solidarity, inclusion and sustainability. The IOC is one of the most influential global organisations, shaping the Olympic Games and guiding a worldwide movement that reaches billions of people and unites nearly every nation in a shared framework of sport, diplomacy, and worldwide cultural influence.
(For more information: Eva Hrncirova - Tel.: +32 2 29 88433; Eirini Zarkadoula-Tel.: +32 2 29 57065)
Autumn 2025 Economic Forecast shows continued growth despite challenging environment
The European Commission's Autumn 2025 Economic Forecast shows that growth in the first three quarters of 2025 outperformed expectations. While the strong performance was initially driven by a surge in exports in anticipation of tariff increases, the EU economy continued to grow in the third quarter. Looking ahead, economic activity is expected to continue expanding at a moderate pace over the forecast horizon, despite a challenging external environment.
This year's Autumn Forecast projects real GDP to grow by 1.4% in the EU in 2025 and 2026, edging up to 1.5% in 2027. The euro area is expected to mirror this trend, with real GDP projected to grow by 1.3% in 2025, 1.2% in 2026, and 1.4% in 2027. Inflation in the euro area is forecast to continue its decline, falling to 2.1% in 2025, and to hover around 2% over the forecast horizon. In the EU, inflation is set to remain marginally higher, falling to 2.2% in 2027.
Private consumption and investment drive growth
Latest business indicators and survey data point to sustained positive momentum in the coming quarters. Looking further ahead, the global environment remains challenging, but a resilient labour market, improving purchasing power and favourable financing conditions are set to support moderate economic growth.
In addition, the Recovery and Resilience Facility and other EU funds are cushioning the effect of fiscal consolidation in several Member States. This support underpins domestic demand, which is set to be the main driver of growth over the forecast horizon. Private consumption is expected to grow steadily, supported by the above factors, but also by a gradual decline in the saving rate. Investment is set to regain momentum, mainly driven by non-residential construction and capital spending on equipment.
The EU's highly open economy remains susceptible to ongoing trade restrictions, but the trade deals reached between the US and its trading partners, including the EU, have alleviated some of the uncertainties that overshadowed the Spring Forecast.
The forecast assumes that all country- and sector-specific tariffs implemented by the US administration at the cut-off date of 31 October will be in place throughout the forecast horizon. Globally, trade barriers have reached historic highs, and the EU now faces higher average tariffs on exports to the US than assumed in the Spring 2025 Forecast. Nevertheless, tariffs on EU exports remain lower than those applied to several other major global players. This represents a modest relative advantage for the EU economy, albeit in a context of weak global goods trade and a strong euro tempering foreign demand.
Inflation projected to stabilise
Inflation in the euro area has been revised slightly up from the Spring Forecast. It is now expected to come down from 2.4% in 2024 to reach the ECB's target of 2% in 2027. Trends vary across components, with decreases in services and food inflation counterbalanced by rising energy inflation. Intensifying competitive pressures from imports and the appreciation of the euro should restrain inflation in non-energy goods. Headline inflation in the EU is projected to be marginally higher than the euro area, gradually declining from 2.6% in 2024 to 2.2% in 2027. This forecast assumes that the new EU Emissions Trading System (ETS2) will enter into force in 2027, as has been legislated.
Unemployment rates decline further
The gradual slowdown of employment growth that started in 2022 continued in the first half of 2025. Still, the EU economy generated 380,000 jobs during that period. Employment is set to continue expanding moderately—by 0.5% in 2025 and 2026—before decelerating to 0.4% in 2027. The unemployment rate is anticipated to edge down further from 5.9% in 2025 and 2026 to 5.8% in 2027. Wage growth in the EU is set to slow but remain above inflation, modestly improving household purchasing power.
Government deficits to edge up
The EU general government deficit is expected to increase from 3.1% of GDP in 2024 to 3.4% by 2027, partly due to the increase in defence spending from 1.5% of GDP in 2024 to 2% in 2027, measured according to the Classification of the Functions of Government (COFOG).
The EU debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to rise from 84.5% in 2024 to 85% in 2027, with the euro area ratio set to rise from around 88% to 90.4%. This reflects ongoing primary deficits and the fact that the average cost of public debt is higher than nominal GDP growth. By 2027, four Member States are expected to have debt ratios above 100% of GDP.
Challenging global environment continues to weigh on the outlook
Looking forward, risks to the growth outlook are tilted downwards.
Persistent trade policy uncertainty continues to weigh on economic activity, with tariffs and non-tariff restrictions potentially constraining EU growth more than expected.
Any further escalation of geopolitical tensions could intensify supply shocks. At the same time, repricing of risks in equity markets, especially in the US technology sector, could impact investor confidence and financing conditions. Domestic political uncertainty might also weigh on confidence. Finally, the increasing frequency of climate-related disasters could undermine growth.
On the upside, resolute progress on reforms and the competitiveness agenda, higher defence spending focused on EU production, and new trade agreements could bolster economic activity more than projected.
Background
This forecast is based on a set of technical assumptions concerning exchange rates, interest rates and commodity prices, with a cut-off date of 27 October. For all other incoming data, including assumptions about government policies, this forecast takes into consideration information up until, and including, 31 October. Unless new policies are announced and specified in adequate detail, the projections assume no policy changes.
The European Commission publishes two comprehensive forecasts (spring and autumn) each year, covering a broad range of economic indicators for all EU Member States, candidate countries, EFTA countries and other major advanced and emerging market economies.
The European Commission's Spring 2026 Economic Forecast will update the projections in this publication and is expected to be presented in May 2026.
For More Information
Full document: Autumn 2025 European Economic Forecast
Follow Commissioner Dombrovskis on X: @VDombrovskis
Follow DG ECFIN on X: @ecfin
The chapter on Cyprus:
Economic forecast for Cyprus
The latest macroeconomic forecast for Cyprus.
Cyprus’s economic growth remains robust, driven primarily by domestic demand. Household consumption is expected to gradually ease as real wage growth slows, but investment is set to be stronger, supported by the completion of RRF projects in 2026. Services exports are also set to remain strong. Headline inflation has been decreasing throughout 2025 and is projected to approach 2% by the end of the forecast horizon, whereas headline inflation excluding energy and food will remain slightly higher. Government fiscal surpluses are projected to hold up and the debt-to-GDP ratio is set to continue its downward trend and move below 50% of GDP in 2027.
Indicators
2025
2026
2027
GDP growth (%, yoy)
3.4
2.6
2.4
Inflation (%, yoy)
0.9
1.5
1.9
Unemployment (%)
4.7
4.5
4.3
General government balance (% of GDP)
3.3
3.0
3.2
Gross public debt (% of GDP)
56.4
51.0
45.7
Current account balance (% of GDP)
-7.7
-7.4
-6.9
Growth remains sustained
Real GDP expanded by 3.2% in the first half of the year, driven by robust aggregate consumption (up 6.2% y-o-y) and accelerating investment (up 18.4% y-o-y). Net exports also had a positive impact on growth due to strong ICT trade and record-breaking tourist arrivals early in the season.
The economic momentum is set to remain strong over the second half of 2025, leading to GDP growth of 3.4% for the entire year. The GDP growth rate is projected to moderate to 2.6% in 2026 and 2.4% in 2027. Private consumption is expected to remain the main driver of growth, though its momentum is set to ease as real income growth moderates, and the inflow of foreign workers whose relocation typically supports household spending, slows. This moderation is expected to be partially offset by stronger investment, supported by the timely implementation of the RRF by 2026, and sustained inflows of inward FDI, especially in real estate activities. Exports are also set to remain strong throughout the forecast horizon thanks to a solid tourist outlook and buoyant ICT activity. However, the global trade slowdown is having a negative impact on the outlook for the shipping sector, particularly in 2026. Despite a sizeable trade surplus driven by services, the current account remains in deficit due to profit repatriation by the large number of foreign-owned corporates. The current account deficit is projected to narrow only gradually by 2027.
Inflation to stay slightly below 2% in the medium term
Headline inflation decreased sharply over the course of 2025, driven mainly by lower energy prices and, to a lesser extent, by moderating food prices. This decrease reflects the impact that a temporary VAT reduction had on energy bills. Headline inflation is projected to fall to 0.9% in 2025, before gradually rising to 1.9% by 2027, as the impact of the VAT reduction fades and the introduction of ETS2 in 2027, if not delayed, is going to lift energy inflation. Headline inflation excluding energy and food is set to remain slightly higher due to persistent service price pressures linked to strong tourism demand.
Record-low unemployment
Labour market conditions are set to remain strong, in line with the growth outlook. Job creation levels are solid, with employment expanding by 1.6% y-o-y in the first half of 2025. Unemployment fell to a record low of 4.3% over the same period. Employment growth has been supported by significant inflows of foreign workers. However, these inflows are expected to gradually moderate as the initial wave of corporate relocations under the so-called ‘headquartering policies’, designed to attract international companies to Cyprus, is coming to an end.
Public finances remain in good shape
In 2024, Cyprus achieved a sizeable surplus in its general government headline of 4.1% of GDP, with revenue growing more strongly than expenditure. In 2025, the government surplus is projected to remain solid, slightly decreasing to 3.3% of GDP.
Favourable economic growth and labour market conditions continue to support strong revenue growth. This is despite higher spending on support measures and compensation payments following the wildfires in July 2025, as well as VAT reductions for energy and other basic goods. With the RRF entering its final phase, public investment is projected to benefit from a noticeable boost in 2025 and 2026.
In 2026 and 2027, public finances are forecast to remain favourable, and the government headline surplus is projected to hold up, at 3.0% and 3.2% of GDP respectively. The end of the RRF in 2026 is expected to have a dampening effect on government revenue and expenditure in 2027.
The government debt-to-GDP ratio dropped by more than 8 pps. to 62.8% at the end of 2024. This trend is projected to continue with the debt level projected to fall to 56.4% of GDP by the end of 2025. Government debt is projected to further decrease to 51.0% of GDP in 2026 and 45.7% of GDP in 2027.
European Economic Forecast. Autumn 2025 - Cyprus
Quote(s)
Even in an adverse environment, the EU’s economy has continued to grow. Now, given the challenging external context, the EU must take resolute action to unlock domestic growth. This means accelerating our work on the competitiveness agenda—including by simplifying regulation, completing the Single Market, and boosting innovation.
Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification
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Economy, finance and the euro
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