Commission adopts its Work Programme for 2023: Tackling the most pressing challenges, while staying the course for the long-term

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The Commission adopted its 2023 Work Programme. It sets out a bold agenda to respond to the current set of crises affecting the everyday lives of Europeans, while doubling down on the ongoing green and digital transformations, making our European Union more resilient.

In this spirit, the Commission aims at supporting people and businesses – whether by reducing energy prices, securing the supplies critical for our industrial competitiveness and food security, or by reinforcing our social market economy. This Commission Work Programme contains 43 new policy initiatives across all six of the headline ambitions of President von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines, building on her 2022 State of the Union speech and letter of intent.

Many of the key initiatives in this Work Programme also follow up on the outcomes of the Conference on the Future of Europe. In addition, the new generation of citizens’ panels will be part of the Commission’s policymaking in certain key areas. The first citizens’ panels will address the issues of food waste, learning mobility and virtual worlds.

Delivering on six headline ambitions

A European Green Deal
Against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Commission will propose in early 2023, amongst other initiatives, a comprehensive reform of the EU’s electricity market, including decoupling electricity and gas prices. To help rapidly scale up our green hydrogen economy, the Commission will propose to create a new European Hydrogen Bank, which will invest €3 billion into kick-starting a hydrogen market in the EU.

A Europe fit for the digital age
To tackle current and future risks of strategic dependencies, the Commission will propose EU measures to ensure adequate and diversified access to critical raw materials needed for Europe’s digital and economic resilience.

An economy that works for people
Taking into account input from the Conference on the Future of Europe, the Commission will carry out a review of our economic governance to ensure it is still fit for purpose. To further strengthen the Union budget in face of the current urgent challenges, we will also carry out a mid-term review of the EU budget for 2021-2027 and table a second set of new own resources, building on the proposal for a single set of tax rules for doing business in Europe.

A stronger Europe in the world
The cruel reality of war confirms the need to ramp up EU efforts in the area of security and defence. To defend our interests, our democratic principles, and peace and stability, we will present the EU space strategy for security and defence, as well as a new EU maritime security strategy. We will also update our sanctions toolbox to include corruption.

Promoting our European way of life
With only 15% of young people having undertaken studies, training or apprenticeships in another EU country, the Commission will propose to update the current EU learning mobility framework, to enable students to move more easily between education systems. As 2023 will be the European Year of Skills, we want to attract highly qualified professionals to sectors where Europe experiences workforce shortages, through proposals on recognising the qualifications of non-EU nationals. A targeted initiative will promote one of the most strategically important skills, through a Cybersecurity Skills Academy.

A new push for European democracy
Democracy is the bedrock of our Union. In 2023, the Commission will put forward a defence of democracy package, including an initiative on the protection of the EU’s democratic space from outside interests.

Source: European Union