DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 21 August 2026
Commission approves €4.5 million German State aid for fishing and aquaculture companies facing increased fuel prices
The European Commission has approved a €4.5 million German State aid scheme for fishing and aquaculture companies facing increased fuel prices due to the Middle East crisis.
The scheme was approved under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF) adopted by the Commission on 29 April 2026.
The aid will take the form of direct grants. The scheme concerns the grant of a limited amount of aid based on the increase of fuel prices. The aid intensity corresponds to 70% of the estimated increase in fuel costs for fishery and aquaculture companies during the period from 1 March until 23 July 2026. The aid will not exceed €50,000 per company.
The Commission assessed the scheme under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which enables Member States to support the development of certain economic activities subject to certain conditions, as well as Sections 1 and 2.1 of the METSAF.
The Commission found that the scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the METSAF. In particular, aid will be granted based on a scheme with a clear estimated budget and will be provided to temporarily support the development of companies active in primary production of fishery and aquaculture products. The Commission concluded that the scheme is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to facilitate the development of an economic activity and does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest.
A press release is available online.
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 47 74)
Commission closes antitrust investigation after Pratt and Whitney amends contractual clauses
The European Commission has closed an antitrust investigation into alleged anticompetitive behaviour by Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (‘Pratt & Whitney'), the main supplier in the European Economic Area (‘EEA') of turboprop aircraft engines. The closure of the investigation follows the company's amendment of contractual clauses, which removes possible obstacles to access to critical input and services faced by spare parts suppliers. Spare parts are sold to customers in the EEA for the repair and maintenance of engines.
The Commission investigated whether Pratt & Whitney may have been foreclosing access to critical input and services needed by spare part suppliers, so-called used serviceable material (‘USM') suppliers, for certain turboprop aircraft engines. USM suppliers need access to used engine cores to tear them down and replenish their stock of spare parts. They also need access to certification services that attest that a spare part is airworthy and can be reused. By limiting the ability of maintenance shops in their network to sell used engine cores or provide certification services to USM suppliers, Pratt & Whitney may have restricted competition from independent USM suppliers. Following exchanges with the Commission, Pratt & Whitney amended its agreements to remove these restrictions and clarified that maintenance shops are not prevented from buying USM from other suppliers.
After thorough analysis and assessment of evidence, and considering the changes and clarifications made by Pratt & Whitney to its contractual clauses, the Commission concluded that the investigated concerns have been addressed. Further action is no longer considered a priority at EU level. Pratt & Whitney has made a public announcement on its website highlighting the changes made to its contractual clauses.
The closure of the investigation is not a finding that the conduct in question complied with EU competition rules.
(For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschütz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83)
Commission clears creation of joint venture by CMA CGM and TotalEnergies
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of a joint venture by CMA CGM S.A. and TotalEnergies S.E., both of France.
The transaction relates primarily to LNG bunkering logistics services.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given that the joint venture will have negligible activities in the European Economic Area and given the companies' limited combined market positions resulting from the proposed transaction. 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.12406.
Statement by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen and Commissioner McGrath ahead of the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance of the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes
Ahead of the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance of the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes on 23 August, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, and Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath, issued the following statement:
“On 23 August, we commemorate the anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, signed in 1939 between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. That pact, and the war and devastation that followed, brought intolerable suffering to millions of people across Europe and beyond. The years that followed were marked by occupation, repression, deportation and violence on a massive scale.
Today, we honour the memory of all those who have suffered under totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. The pain endured by victims, survivors and their families echoes across generations. Every EU country is now home to a generation that has grown up free from tyranny and oppression. For many, freedom, democracy and peace may appear self-evident, but they are not. They were secured through extraordinary courage, sacrifice, resistance and resilience, and they must never be taken for granted. Remembering the past is therefore not only a duty to those who came before us. It is also a responsibility to future generations.
This day is a solemn reminder of the consequences of hatred, intolerance and the denial of human dignity. It calls on us to remain vigilant in defending the values on which the European Union is founded: respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and fundamental rights. By preserving the memory of the past, we reaffirm our commitment to a Europe built on peace, justice and solidarity.”
The statement is available online.
(For more information: Markus Lammert – Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Cristina Torres Castillo — Tel.: + 32 2 299 06 79)
EU reaffirms solidarity with Ukraine on 35th anniversary of independence
24 August 2026 will mark Ukraine's 35th anniversary of its independence. This occasion embodies Ukrainians' bravery, resistance and resilience in the face of Russia's continuous and vicious war of aggression. It also symbolises their aspiration to be a democratic and European country. On the eve of the Independence Day, the European Commission reaffirms its unshakable solidarity and commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. We continue standing with Ukraine in pursuing a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, and supporting their European path.
Over the past months, the EU has secured the first disbursements under the €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan to sustain the country's defence capabilities and reconstruction. The EU has also adopted the 21st package of sanctions further restricting Russia's ability to fund its illegal war and to carry out attacks on Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. In July 2026, President Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv, launching a new EU-Ukraine Defence Industrial Partnership and the EU-Ukraine Drone Deal, including an additional €1 billion in support for drone production.
The EU is leading the efforts in terms of ensuring the recovery and long-term investment in Ukraine's economy, also confirmed at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in June. It is playing a crucial role in securing the return of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred or deported by Russia, as well as in holding Russia accountable for its crimes, including through the International Claims Commission and the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the EU and its Member States have mobilised a total of €220.2 billion in humanitarian, financial, and military assistance to Ukraine and its people. Since 2024, the EU has made available €8 billion in proceeds generated by immobilised Russian Central Bank assets to support Ukraine, including €3.8 billion channelled through the European Peace Facility and the Ukraine Facility. The remaining part of the proceeds supports the repayment of G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration loans through the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism.
More information on the EU's support for Ukraine is available on our webpage and factsheet.
(For more information: Arianna Podestà – Tel.: +32 2 298 70 24)
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