Europe’s carbon market must cut emissions without cutting industrial production. In some industries, emissions have fallen alongside output and plant closures. The EU ETS revision should ensure that progress towards 2050 comes from investment and technology, not deindustrialisation. 

The Linear Reduction Factor should be adjusted after 2030 so allowances remain available through 2050. ETS revenues should support decarbonisation projects, while free allocation should continue where alternatives are not available at scale. 

For aviation and maritime transport, EU rules should align with international frameworks. Data centres should be removed from the scope where emissions come mainly from backup generators. These changes would link emissions reductions to investment while limiting the relocation of production outside Europe. 

On Tuesday, 14 July, AmCham EU hosted Csaba Kontor, Policy Assistant, Cabinet of European Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, for a discussion on strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in the life sciences sector. Moderated by Katerina Valkova (Bristol Myers Squibb), Chair, Healthcare Committee, AmCham EU, the exchange explored how policy decisions can support investment through research and innovation while ensuring patients in Europe can access health innovation. Participants also discussed the importance of resilient EU-US supply chains and regulatory cooperation, as well as the need to avoid divergence and provide the scale and predictability required to sustain Europe’s position as a leading destination for life sciences investment.

Amazon has been active in Ireland for more than 20 years, investing in its operations, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and contributing to communities across the country. Through recent projects in energy and education, the company is helping Ireland advance its climate and digital skills ambitions. In partnership with EnergyCloud Ireland, Amazon is supporting 500 families in Fingal with free tanks of hot water powered by surplus renewable energy. At the same time, the company is donating digital technology kits to every primary school in Ireland, helping teachers bring coding, computational thinking and digital literacy into the classroom. These initiatives show how private sector collaboration can support greener homes, stronger schools and a more future-ready Ireland. Read the full story on Invested in Europe.

Meta’s open-source Canopy Height Maps helped the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre improve its 2020 Global Forest Cover map, demonstrating how artificial intelligence can strengthen Europe’s ability to monitor forests and advance climate and biodiversity goals. Developed with the World Resources Institute, the maps use Meta’s DINO self-supervised computer vision model to estimate tree height from satellite imagery. This helped researchers apply the five-metre threshold used in many international forest definitions and better distinguish forests from other tree-covered land, including agricultural tree crops. The resulting product, available through the EU Forest Observatory, provides one of the most comprehensive open views of global forest cover. Read more on Invested in Europe.

Authored by Malte Lohan, CEO, AmCham EU

On Tuesday, 30 June, AmCham EU hosted a roundtable exploring strategies for preparing Europe’s workforce for the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Members and policymakers analysed how AI is changing roles across sectors and how employers, governments and education providers can respond. Joined by Idoia Mendia, MEP (ES, S&D) and Mario Nava, Director-General, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission, the conversation focused on digital and data skills, as well as expanding AI literacy across organisations. Participants also discussed reskilling and public-private cooperation to support a more inclusive labour market. In addition, members shared best practices from their companies and pointed to the need for policy frameworks that support lifelong learning and skills-based hiring. As AI becomes part of everyday work, Europe must close the skills gap to strengthen competitiveness and prepare people for the future of work.