EU Digital & Green Deal Policies: EPSO Exam Focus Areas for 2026

EPSO EU Knowledge tests increasingly focus on current EU policy priorities rather than purely institutional questions. The European Green Deal and the Digital Decade are the two dominant policy agendas of the current Commission. Here is what you need to know.

The European Green Deal

Announced in December 2019, the European Green Deal is the EU's roadmap to become climate-neutral by 2050. It is the most comprehensive climate policy package in the world and touches nearly every area of EU regulation.

Core Targets

• Climate neutrality by 2050 — enshrined in the European Climate Law (2021)
• 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) — the "Fit for 55" package
• Zero pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment

Key Policies and Instruments

Fit for 55 Package: A bundle of legislative proposals to deliver the 2030 climate target. Key elements:

• EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) reform: Expanded to cover maritime transport and buildings/road transport (ETS2). Free allowances phased out for industry.
• Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): A carbon tariff on imports of cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity, and hydrogen. Prevents "carbon leakage" — companies moving production outside the EU to avoid carbon costs.
• Renewable Energy Directive: Target of at least 42.5% renewable energy in the EU energy mix by 2030.
• Energy Efficiency Directive: Binding target to reduce final energy consumption.
• CO2 emission standards for vehicles: Originally set a 100% CO2 reduction target for new cars by 2035. In December 2025, the Commission proposed revising this to a 90% reduction target, which would allow plug-in hybrids and vehicles using sustainable fuels (e-fuels, biofuels) beyond 2035. This proposal is still going through the legislative process.

Farm to Fork Strategy:

• Aims to make food systems fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly
• The Commission initially proposed a 50% reduction in pesticide use and 25% organic farming by 2030, but the Sustainable Use Regulation (SUR) was withdrawn in early 2024 following political opposition (the Parliament rejected the text in November 2023; the Commission formally withdrew it in 2024). The strategic goals remain, though binding legislation is still evolving.
• Linked to CAP reform

Biodiversity Strategy for 2030:

• 30% of EU land and sea areas protected
• 3 billion trees planted
• Restoration of degraded ecosystems (Nature Restoration Law)

Circular Economy Action Plan:

• Right to repair
• Ecodesign requirements
• Sustainable product policy

Financing the Green Deal

• Just Transition Fund: EUR 17.5 billion to support regions dependent on fossil fuels
• InvestEU Green: Leveraging private investment
• RRF climate spending: 37% of Recovery and Resilience Facility funds must go to climate objectives

The Digital Decade

The EU's digital policy agenda aims to make Europe digitally sovereign and globally competitive by 2030. It is built around four pillars.

The Four Pillars (Digital Compass)

1. Skills: 80% of adults with basic digital skills; 20 million ICT specialists
2. Infrastructure: Gigabit connectivity for all; 5G coverage everywhere; production of cutting-edge semiconductors
3. Business: 75% of companies using cloud, AI, or big data; growth of scale-ups
4. Government: 100% of key public services available online; digital ID for all citizens

Key Legislation

Digital Services Act (DSA) — 2022:

• Regulates online platforms and intermediaries
• Very large platforms (45M+ EU users) face the strictest obligations
• Illegal content removal obligations
• Transparency in algorithms and advertising
• Enforced by the Commission for very large platforms

Digital Markets Act (DMA) — 2022:

• Targets "gatekeeper" platforms (Apple, Google, Meta, Amazon, etc.)
• Prohibits self-preferencing, bundling, and restricting interoperability
• Requires data portability and fair access to platform data
• Heavy fines for non-compliance (up to 10% of global turnover)

AI Act — 2024:

• World's first comprehensive AI regulation
• Risk-based approach: minimal risk (no regulation), limited risk (transparency), high risk (strict requirements), unacceptable risk (banned)
• Banned: social scoring, real-time biometric identification in public spaces (with exceptions), manipulation of vulnerable groups
• High-risk: AI in recruitment, education, credit scoring, law enforcement, critical infrastructure
• General-purpose AI models: transparency and documentation requirements

Data Act — 2023:

• Rules on who can access and use data generated by connected products
• Enables data sharing between businesses and with government
• Cloud switching rights

What to Expect in EPSO Tests

Green Deal questions typically test:

• The 2030 and 2050 climate targets
• Key instruments (ETS, CBAM, Fit for 55)
• The relationship between the Green Deal and the MFF/NextGenerationEU

Digital policy questions typically test:

• The difference between DSA (content/services) and DMA (competition/gatekeepers)
• The AI Act's risk-based classification
• Digital Decade targets

Study tip: You do not need to memorise every regulation. Focus on the purpose and scope of each major instrument, not the specific articles or technical details.