From just transition to competitive decarbonisation: What the EU’s new policy architecture means for regional cohesion

Report    |    4 March 2026

The EU is entering a new policy cycle, reframing the European Green Deal in terms of competitiveness and innovation. The European Commission’s proposals for the Clean Industrial Deal, European Competitiveness Fund, and national and regional partnership plans collectively signal a major departure from just transition policies and a comprehensive reorganisation of the EU’s decarbonisation, industry, and cohesion strategies.

This report investigates the main objectives and instruments of this new policy shift and how it affects the EU’s just transition regions.