🌍 Today, citizens’ contributions meet policy follow-up In 2025, participants in the European Citizens’ Panel “A new European budget fit for our ambitions” have invested time, energy, and thoughtful reflection into discussing the future of the EU budget. Their engagement produced 23 guiding recommendations, which DG BUDG took into account when drafting the next long-term EU budget proposal. Today’s feedback event is a moment for the European Commission to show concretely to the citizens how we listened and took their recommendations into account. The event brings participants together one final time, creating space for explanation and exchange, as DG BUDG experts present how citizens’ ideas are reflected in the proposal. A sincere thank you to all citizens for their dedication and for contributing meaningfully to the future of the EU budget🙏

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📆 This Friday, on 6 February, the European Citizens’ Panel on a new European budget fit for our ambitions closes its series of panels with an online feedback event! What a journey it has been – citizens from across Europe were at the heart of the conversation, sharing their priorities and shaping the debate on what the next long-term EU budget should prioritise. 💶 From education and skills to competitiveness, sustainability, and social cohesion, citizens’ recommendations fed into the proposal for the 2028–2034 EU budget. This upcoming feedback session will show how these ideas are being translated into policies, directly from the voices of EU experts. 💬 This event gives participants also a space to engage directly with EU experts and exchange reflections. 🌍 By listening to EU citizens from every corner of the Union, the EU Commission presented a budget that truly reflects their needs and aspirations, addressing both long-term priorities and emerging challenges.

What does green steel really mean? Look north.In Luleå, Sweden, steel is being made without coal.Blast furnaces are being phased out, replaced by fossil-free electricity and recycled materials. The goal isn’t only lower emissions — it’s also keeping skills, jobs and industry in the region.With EU support, workers are retrained and long-term investments become possible.The message from industry is clear: the transition is happening — and clarity on climate rules matters.This is what the green transition looks like in real life.

What if cities heated homes using industrial waste heat?That’s already happening in Hamburg.In Hafencity, excess heat from a copper smelter is captured, stored and reused to heat thousands of homes — instead of being wasted. The result: lower emissions, more efficient energy use and a smarter urban heating system.Backed by EU funding, this project shows how cities can decarbonise everyday infrastructure by connecting industry and urban development.Sometimes, the cleanest energy is the one we already produce.#EnergyTransition #DistrictHeating #SustainableCities #EUFunds #ClimateAction #CohesionPolicy

No radiators. Winter temperatures. €200 a year for heating.Sounds impossible?It’s real — in Aachen, Germany.Passivhaus homes use insulation, smart ventilation and heat pumps to stay warm with minimal energy. Researchers are now testing how people actually interact with these systems, because behaviour matters as much as technology.This is what the energy transition looks like when it enters everyday life.