Indicative programme

All times are approximate and subject to change

Place:
Europa building, Brussels

Chairs:
- Michael Damianos, Minister for energy, commerce and industry of the Republic of Cyprus
- Nicodemos Damianou, Deputy Minister for research, innovation and digital policy of the Republic of Cyprus

Internal market and industry, Thursday, 26 February

From 08.30
Arrivals (live streaming)

+/- 08.45
Doorstep by Michael Damianos (live streaming)

+/- 09.30
Beginning of the Competitiveness Council (Internal market and industry) (roundtable)
Adoption of the agenda

+/- 09.40
The 2026 Annual single market and competitiveness report

+/- 11.10
Any other business:
- Effective Competition Policy is a Cornerstone of well-functioning, resilient and competitive single market (public session)

+/- 11.20
Emergency plans for industrial resilience - exchange of views (public session)

+/- 12.50
Any other business:
- Strengthening Europe's chemical industry and securing its resilient future (public session)

+/- 13.00
Approval of "A" items
- Non-legislative list
- Legislative list (+/- 13.05 public session)

+/- 13.10
Working lunch debate on taking joint ownership for removing barriers from the single market

+/- 14.40
2030 Consumer agenda - Council conclusions

+/- 15.10
Any other business:
- Bioeconomy strategy - presentation by the Commission (public session)

+/- 15.20
European Competitiveness Fund - policy debate (public session)

+/- 16.50
Any other business:
- An integral EU Biotech Act II for a competitive Europe (public session)
- Safeguarding our industrial competitiveness through a pragmatic and technology-neutral hydrogen approach under RED III (public session)

At the end of the meeting (+/- 17.15) press conference on internal market and industry in live streaming from Justus Lipsius main press room.

Research, Friday, 27 February

From 09.00
Arrivals (live streaming)

+/- 09.15
Doorstep by Nicodemos Damianou (live streaming)

+/- 10.00
Beginning of the Competitiveness Council (Research) (roundtable)

+/- 10.05
Research Fund for Coal and Steel - general approach (public session)

+/- 10.35
Horizon Europe Package: Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2028-2034 - policy debate (public session)

+/- 12.05
Any other business:
- How to ensure Research and Innovation priority setting mechanism and decision process (public session)

+/-12.30
Working lunch debate on promoting excellence and international cooperation in the current geopolitical context

At the end of the meeting (+/- 14.15) press conference on research in live streaming from Justus Lipsius main press room.

Videos and photos from the event
Meeting page - Competitiveness Council (Internal market and industry), 26 February 2026
Meeting page - Competitiveness Council (Research), 27 February 2026