2026 European Commission Work Programme Includes Actions in Disability Strategy, Education, Quality Jobs, Mental Health, and AI

2026 European Commission Work Programme Includes Actions in Disability Strategy, Education, Quality Jobs, Mental Health, and AI

On 21 October 2025, the European Commission published the 2026 Commission Work Programme, which specifies the new initiatives that will be published during the year 2026. Key initiatives of interest for EPR members included the following:

• European Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030: by Q2 2026, the European Commission will propose new actions to enhance the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (more information available here) up to 2030, since the strategy’s actions were only developed until 2025. EPR welcomes the proposal of such new actions and will continue to work closely with the European Commission, providing members’ expertise and good practices.
• Quality Jobs Act: as we explained in a previous EPR news article (available here), Ursula Von der Leyen announced the publication of this Act in her State of the Union Address. This Act, expected in Q4 2026 will be part of the Quality Jobs Roadmap, which aims to support good work conditions across Europe. 
• Education Package: The European Commission will develop two key actions from the Union of Skills*, which are the European School alliances and Basic Skills Support Scheme, and the 2030 Roadmap on the future of digital education and skills, both due by Q3 2026.
• On the topic of mental health, building on the EU’s 2023 Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health (available here), the European Commission will explore the impacts of social media and excessive screen time on mental health and wellbeing. No deadline was specified for this action. 
• By Q2 2026, the European Commission will publish the EU Anti-poverty Strategy, which aims to address structural causes of exclusion and strengthen services in this sector.
• The European Commission will present an updated Gender Equality Strategy for the period 2026-2030 by Q1 2026.
• The European Commission will propose measures to strengthen the Child Guarantee by Q2 2026, in order to gear investments towards tackling child poverty.
• Digital Fairness Act: by Q4 2026, the European Commission will publish this Act, aiming to improve the protection of consumers in the online environment from unfair and deceptive practices.
• The European Commission will propose by Q1 2026 an Action Plan against Cyberbullying, to create safer online environments for young people.
• Regarding the topic of AI, the European Commission will develop proposals for a Cloud and AI Development Act, to enhance the EU’s Cloud and AI infrastructure capacity, due on Q1 2026, and a Quantum Act to accelerate the research, development and industrial deployment of quantum technologies in the EU, due on Q2 2026.
• The European Commission will propose a revision of the Public Procurement Directive, which is the framework for how public authorities across Europe purchase goods, services and infrastructure, by Q2 2026.
• The European Commission will present the European Affordable Housing Plan, including an update of state aid rules for Member States to support affordable housing. However, the work programme does not disclose the deadlines for these measures.

The Work Programme also includes a section with the pieces of legislation that are still under negotiation and could be withdrawn due to  a lack of progress. For 2026, the European Commission proposes the withdrawal of the European Cross-Border Associations Directive (ECBA Directive). The ECBA Directive intends to create a new and additional legal form for non-profit association (the ECBA) at the national level in EU Member States, removing legal and administrative barriers of non-profit associations willing to have cross-border activities. This Directive has been stuck in negotiations since 2024. This withdrawal would mean a missed opportunity for non-profit organisations with, or aiming to have cross-border activities.

*To recall, the Union of Skills is a plan to improve high quality education, training, and lifelong learning across the EU. Its key pillars consist of: (i) delivering higher levels of basic and advanced skills; (ii) providing opportunities for people to regularly update and learn new skills; (iii) facilitating recruitment by businesses across the EU; (iv) attracting, developing and retaining top talent in Europe.

Press Release on 2026 European Commission Work Programme available here.

European Commission Work Programme documents available here.