November Policy Highlights: EBN’s Key Activities and EU Developments

EBN continues to actively contribute to shaping Europe’s innovation policy agenda.

Throughout November, our network played a visible role in EU-level debates on competitiveness, innovation, regional development and SME growth, while also celebrating important milestones within the EU|BIC community. Below is an overview of the most relevant activities and policy developments from the past month.

EBN & EU|BIC Highlights

[Meeting] EBN Executive Committee met with the Cabinet of Ekatrina Zaharieva, EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, in Brussels on 18 November.

Strategic dialogue focusing on advancing a united, place-based innovation infrastructure, championing operational excellence of ESOs, and pushing for ambitious policy reforms to enable the EU Startup & Scale-up Strategy and European Innovation Act.

Our Executive Committee, including Pietro De Martino (EBN President), Paul Fairburn (Vice President), Jorge Pimenta, Helena Matuša, Isabelle Prevot and Francisco Pizarro Escribano, together with our EBN Secretariat composed of Laura Lecci (EBN CEO), Bram Pauwels (EBN CSO) and Sofia Katechi (EBN Marketing and Comms officer), met with cabinet members of EU Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva.

We had fruitful discussions on the new regulations, sharing real examples and the real challenges EU|BICs face on the ground. Our community offered concrete recommendations, highlighting the value of EU|BIC support, the complexity of innovation rules and the importance of local stability and tailored frameworks that help innovators thrive.

These insights shaped EBN’s three strategic recommendations for the implementation of the European Innovation Act (EIA):

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗺𝗲: Create a unified EU-INC framework that removes cross-border barriers and allows startups to scale inside the Single Market.

𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Embed certified EU|BICs and ESOs in EIA delivery to ensure EU policy translates into local impact.

𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: Simplify early-stage investment, modernise IP financing and establish a harmonised EU-ESOP to attract global talent.

Backed by nearly 30 years of EU|BIC experience, supporting 30,000 companies, creating 9,000 jobs annually and mobilising €880 million in 2024, these recommendations reflect what works on the ground and what Europe urgently needs.

EBN Techcamp 2025

This year’s edition delivered an inspiring programme combining hands-on learning, autonomous systems, and agri-food innovation. The event brought together practitioners from across the network, reaffirming EU|BICs’ role as catalysts of applied innovation. [Post]

Commission proposes Digital Package, including Digital Omnibus [legislation]

in new equity investments and disbursed the first two investments under the scheme, supporting quantum and advanced materials scale-ups.

The European Commission has unveiled a comprehensive digital package to streamline EU rules on AI, cybersecurity, data governance, and compliance, enabling businesses, from startups to scale-ups, to redirect resources from administrative burdens toward innovation and growth. Key elements include the Digital Omnibus, which adjusts AI Act timelines for better support tools, extends SME simplifications to small mid-caps (saving €225 million annually), centralises oversight via the AI Office, and introduces a single-entry point for cybersecurity reporting under NIS2, GDPR, and DORA. Additional measures modernise GDPR for clearer privacy rules, reduce cookie banner interruptions with one-click consent, and consolidate Data Act rules with SME exemptions, yielding €1.5 billion in savings, while boosting AI access to high-quality datasets.

Complementing these reforms, the Data Union Strategy enhances data access through labs and a legal helpdesk, alongside safeguards for data sovereignty, and the European Business Wallet offers a unified digital identity for secure cross-border document signing, storage, and exchanges with public authorities, potentially unlocking €150 billion in yearly savings. Overall, the package targets €5 billion in administrative cost reductions by 2029, aligning with the Commission’s simplification agenda of 25-35% burden cuts

Proposals now head to Parliament and Council, with a Digital Fitness Check consultation open until March 2026 to refine the EU digital rulebook.

‘Cohesion Policy at the crossroads’ – High-level dialogue on the future of Cohesion Policy [blog]

This high-level event focused on the future of Cohesion policy involving representatives from Member States, the European Parliament, and the European Committee of the Regions.

EU Budget Negotiations Intensify as Regional Leaders Demand Greater Voice

The #CohesionAlliance’s October protest at the European Parliament has sparked significant political momentum, with major parliamentary groups (EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, and Greens/EFA) writing to Commission President von der Leyen demanding substantial changes to the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) proposal. This pressure led to unprecedented concessions from von der Leyen, including proposals to give regions more decision-making power and strengthen Parliament’s budget allocation role.

Key Milestones Ahead for 2028-34 Budget Framework

The European Parliament’s draft interim report will be presented on December 11, with committee adoption expected in April and plenary vote in May. Meanwhile, the Committee of the Regions is preparing 20 comprehensive opinions covering all territorial aspects of the MFF, with final adoption scheduled for March 2026. The year concludes with the crucial European Council meeting on December 18-19, where EU leaders will hold their first formal debate on the next budget framework, with Denmark expected to present an initial compromise text.

European Parliament & Other Institutions

EP Plenary: Access to Finance for SMEs and Scale-ups

A key report reaffirmed the need to reduce fragmentation and regulatory burdens, improve access to private capital, and support a more competitive and less bureaucratic Single Market.

Committee of the Regions

The high-level dialogue on the future of Cohesion Policy underscored the importance of balanced territorial development and investment.

Insights from European Associations

• Eurocities emphasised trust, transparency and culture as drivers for inclusive digital transformation.
• Bruegel published multiple analyses on competitiveness, capital markets, taxation and digital regulation.
• EURADA, with the involvement of EBN as consortium partner, contributed to discussions on circular economy transitions, AI for regional growth, and the future role of Smart Specialisation in Europe.

Find the briefing of the month here