AGP Executive Report

Agriculture: EU agriculture ministers are due in Luxembourg on 26–27 October to discuss a partial negotiating position on the Common Agricultural Policy from 2027. Forests: Only 15% of Luxembourg’s trees are classed as healthy, down from about 80% four decades ago, as heat and drought intensify stress on woodlands. Public Finances: Morningstar DBRS and Fitch reaffirmed Luxembourg’s AAA credit rating with a stable outlook, while flagging rising spending pressures. Transport: Etihad launched four weekly nonstop flights between Luxembourg and Abu Dhabi, adding a new link for travellers and regional businesses. Industry: Luxembourg-based Ardagh Group reported third-quarter revenue up 11.2% year on year to $2.78 billion; its glass division is reviewing European capacity amid weak demand. Construction Safety: A worker died while checking a crane at a Luxembourg City construction site; investigators are examining the circumstances.

Construction Safety: A worker died while checking a crane at a Luxembourg City site. An investigation, autopsy and technical report have been ordered. Air Links: Etihad has launched four weekly nonstop flights between Luxembourg and Abu Dhabi, adding a direct link for business and regional travellers. Retail: Esso Onestop in Heiderscheid is among 12 finalists in a global foodservice competition. Finance and Climate: Luxembourg has completed its first digital bond issuance at €1.7 billion, while the EIB Group’s new plan commits at least €30 billion to climate adaptation by 2030. Agriculture: Drought and fodder shortages are forcing Luxembourg farmers to reduce cattle numbers.

Livestock Watch: Shamonda virus has been detected in farm animals in Luxembourg, alongside several European countries. France’s first reported human case involved a severely immunocompromised patient; authorities say it appears isolated, with no current risk to the public. Climate Finance: The EIB Group’s boards, meeting in Luxembourg, backed at least €30 billion for climate adaptation by 2030, including support for resilient agriculture, energy and water technologies. Agrifood: Registration is open for FEFAC’s 2027 annual meeting in Luxembourg, where EU officials and industry leaders will discuss livestock and feed-sector modernisation. Business Finance: The EIB subscribed to a €125 million BCC Iccrea bond listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange; at least a quarter will support Italian agriculture and bioeconomy businesses. Construction and Economy: Luxembourg’s off-plan home sales fell 35.5% year on year in the second quarter, while STATEC says the economy and employment continue to grow more slowly. Unions and government are due to discuss whether energy subsidies will continue in 2027.

Livestock Watch: Shamonda virus has been detected in animals in Luxembourg and other European countries. France’s first reported human infection was in a severely immunocompromised patient who died; authorities say there is no identified risk to the public. Defence Industry: Ukraine’s new partnership with NATO’s procurement agency opens the door to NATO contracts for Ukrainian firms. Luxembourg is among the partnership’s seven members, and the agency is headquartered in the Grand Duchy. Auto Market: Electric cars led new registrations in Luxembourg in September: 1,331 of 3,537 vehicles were fully electric, slightly more than all hybrid models combined. Agri-food: FEFAC has opened registration for its 70th annual meeting, set for April 27–28, 2027, in Luxembourg, focused on EU livestock and protein strategies. Climate Finance: The EIB Group plans at least €30 billion for climate adaptation by 2030, including investment in resilient agriculture; its board endorsed the plan in Luxembourg. Local Business: Contern-based Gcore is offering its enterprise web-security service free to public agencies through year-end after cyberattacks disrupted public websites across Europe. Drinks Trade: Amber Beverage Group UK, owned by Luxembourg’s Amber Beverage Group, has entered administration after reporting losses exceeding £21 million.

Cybersecurity: Contern-based Gcore is offering its enterprise security service free to public agencies through year-end, helping government websites stay online while they patch newly disclosed PHP vulnerabilities. Mobility: Electric cars made up Luxembourg’s largest share of new registrations in September: 1,331 of 3,537 vehicles, while just 195 were diesel. Shipping: Luxembourg shipowner Seven Yield secured five-year charters for two LNG-powered car carriers, extending their employment into the next decade. Energy: An EU Advocate General says the bloc’s temporary levy on energy-sector windfall profits is consistent with EU law, backing a measure that could shape future crisis responses. Agriculture: Fire blight has been detected in Moselle vineyards, prompting vines to be uprooted. Business: Amber Beverage Group’s UK subsidiary has ceased trading and entered administration after reporting losses of more than £21 million. Digital finance: Luxembourg completed its first digital bond issuance, raising €1.7 billion.

Digital Finance: Standard Chartered has agreed to acquire Zodia Custody, whose regulated operations include Luxembourg; the deal still needs regulatory approval. Generali has also launched a tokenized share class in a €13 billion money-market fund managed in Luxembourg, initially for group companies. Energy Costs: Luxembourg’s government says energy subsidies are likely to continue in some form next year. Social partners meet again on 29 October as STATEC prepares a new inflation forecast. Capital Markets: Luxembourg completed its first digital bond issuance, worth €1.7 billion, as digital debt issuance across Europe continues to grow. Industry and Infrastructure: LuxConnect marked 20 years in data centres, with expansion plans, while Goodyear is due to report third-quarter results on 4 November; its Colmar-Berg site is one of the company’s innovation centres. Moselle Agriculture: Fire blight has been detected in vines, prompting uprooting and burning of affected plants.

Digital Finance: Generali has launched a tokenized share class in its €13 billion Luxembourg money-market fund, initially limited to group companies as it tests wider digital investment opportunities. Workplace Policy: EU ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss a proposed Quality Jobs Act covering AI oversight, workers’ rights and business competitiveness. Economic Outlook: Prime Minister Luc Frieden says tripartite measures are supporting purchasing power and slowing inflation, but officials warn relief may need rethinking if the crisis lasts; social partners meet again on 29 October. Capital Markets: Luxembourg completed its first digital bond issuance, raising €1.7 billion. Industry and Infrastructure: A court ruling has cleared the way for renewed preparations to sell Ardagh, while data-centre operator LuxConnect marked 20 years and signalled further growth plans.

Space Industry: Anywaves has appointed former Luxembourg Space Agency chief Marc Serres as chief business and growth officer. He will lead the French-Luxembourg group’s commercial expansion and partnerships across European space programmes. Moselle Agriculture: Fire blight has been detected at three vineyard sites. Authorities are removing infected vines and testing a 2.5km buffer zone, raising concerns for local winegrowers. Energy Security: Greenpeace warns Cattenom’s emergency cooling systems remain vulnerable as France considers extending the ageing plant’s life. Financial Services: Luxembourg and Ireland host 69% of Europe’s identified captive insurers, according to a new SCOR study; the median captive writes about €12 million in annual premiums. Digital Infrastructure: LuxConnect has marked 20 years in data centres, with further growth plans. Electric Mobility: Electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for 36% of new registrations in Luxembourg last quarter, while fully electric cars now make up 10% of the national fleet.

Moselle Wine: Fire blight has been detected at three sites, prompting the removal of infected vines and intensive sampling. The outbreak threatens vineyards if it spreads beyond the 2.5km buffer zone. Electric Mobility: Luxembourg dealerships report rising interest in electric cars as energy prices climb. Electric and hybrid models made up 36% of new registrations last quarter, while EVs’ share of used-car registrations rose to 6%. Digital Finance: Luxembourg finalized its inaugural €1.7bn digital bond, adding momentum to a European market where issuance has already topped last year’s total. Fund Services: US investor New Private Equity has taken a minority stake in Luxembourg-based ONE group solutions, backing expansion at the CSSF-approved fund services provider. Skills: Luxembourg awarded 290 BTS diplomas for 2025/26, including the first graduates in industrial automation. Captive Insurance: Luxembourg and Ireland remain Europe’s leading captive domiciles, accounting for 69% of identified captives, according to SCOR.

Insurance: Luxembourg and Ireland remain Europe’s leading captive-insurance domiciles, accounting for 69% of identified captives, according to SCOR’s 2026 study. Fund Services: US private-equity firm New Private Equity has taken a minority stake in Luxembourg-based ONE group solutions, which serves more than 200 clients and reports annual growth above 35%. Skills: Luxembourg awarded 290 BTS diplomas in 2025/26; this year’s first graduates in industrial automation highlight the vocational pipeline for manufacturing. Digital Finance: The Treasury’s inaugural €1.7 billion digital bond is Europe’s largest sovereign issuance of its kind, with orders topping €3.1 billion. Packaging: A Luxembourg court has cleared Ardagh Holdings to resume preparations for a possible sale of its stake in Ardagh Metal Packaging, but no buyer or deal has been agreed. Agriculture: Drought and fodder shortages are reducing cattle numbers among Luxembourg farmers, adding pressure to the sector.

Digital Finance: Luxembourg priced its first benchmark digital bond at €1.7 billion, with demand topping €3.1 billion. The 10-year issue is Europe’s largest sovereign digital bond to date. Industry Skills: 290 BTS diplomas were awarded for 2025/26, including the first graduates in industrial automation—training aimed at sectors from manufacturing to skilled trades. Mobility Start-ups: Luxembourg-based XYTE mobility made the European Startup Prize for Mobility’s Top 10 and won its road-safety prize; the company plans to deliver its compact electric vehicles this year. Packaging: A Luxembourg court has allowed Ardagh Holdings to resume preparations for a possible sale of its stake in Ardagh Metal Packaging, which operates 23 beverage-can plants across nine countries. No buyer or deal has been agreed. Agriculture: Drought has cut cattle numbers as fodder shortages hit farmers, while a fire bacterium found at three Moselle sites threatens affected vines with destruction.

Agriculture: Drought has cut fodder supplies for Luxembourg farmers, pushing maize prices close to double last year’s level and lifting autumn livestock slaughter by 20–25%. Moselle vineyards face another blow: vines at three sites affected by fire bacterium are to be destroyed. Aviation: Luxair has introduced its new E195-E2 on the London City route, adding capacity with a quieter, more fuel-efficient aircraft. Digital Infrastructure: LuxConnect marked 20 years as a data-centre operator and signalled further growth plans. A separate industry-funded study estimates the EU’s proposed cloud sovereignty rules could cost €115bn over a decade, compared with the Commission’s €18bn upper estimate. Business Rules: New EU anti-greenwashing rules now apply to businesses selling to consumers, including firms based outside the bloc. Innovation: EU auditors say €17bn in Horizon 2020 funding for near-market research did not consistently translate into commercial impact, and called for stronger market uptake and monitoring.

Agriculture: Drought has cut fodder harvests in Luxembourg, driving up feed costs and prompting farmers to reduce herds; autumn slaughter numbers are up 20–25%. Business rules: New EU anti-greenwashing requirements apply to companies selling to consumers, with no transition period, making environmental claims a compliance priority. Aviation: Luxair has introduced its new 136-seat Embraer E195-E2 on the Luxembourg–London City route, adding capacity with a quieter, more fuel-efficient aircraft. Digital infrastructure: Data-centre operator LuxConnect has marked 20 years in Luxembourg and signalled further expansion. Medical technology: The Unified Patent Court ruled that Angelalign’s Torque Ridges infringe Align Technology’s patent, ordering a recall and sales halt in Luxembourg and 16 other countries; the decision can be appealed.

Digital Infrastructure: LuxConnect marked 20 years as a data-centre operator, with plans to build on its role in Luxembourg’s digital economy. A separate study, funded by a lobby group whose members include Amazon and Google, estimates the EU’s proposed cloud-sovereignty rules could cost €115bn over a decade; the Commission’s upper estimate is €18bn. Agriculture: Drought has depleted fodder reserves for Luxembourg livestock farmers. Some are buying maize at nearly twice last year’s price, and slaughter numbers are up 20–25% as herds are cut. Moselle vineyards also face destruction of plants affected by fire bacterium. Aviation: Luxair’s new E195-E2 aircraft brings about 136 seats to its London City route, increasing capacity between the two financial centres while offering lower noise and fuel use. Business Rules: EU green-claims requirements took effect on 27 September, applying to businesses of any size that sell to consumers in the bloc. Companies should review environmental marketing and product claims.

Agriculture: Drought has depleted fodder reserves for Luxembourg livestock farmers. Maize is approaching twice last year’s price, and slaughter numbers are up 20–25% as farmers cut herd sizes. Moselle vineyards also face a fire-bacterium outbreak, with affected plants to be burned. Digital Infrastructure: LuxConnect marked 20 years as Luxembourg’s data-centre operator, with demand rising alongside concerns over the sector’s growing electricity needs. Energy: EU gas storage is unusually low ahead of winter; analysts say the bloc may need to cut gas demand by 7%, adding pressure on businesses and energy costs. Transport: Luxair has introduced its new-generation E195-E2 on the London City route, adding capacity between the two financial centres with a quieter, more fuel-efficient aircraft. Business Rules: New EU green-claims rules are now in force for businesses selling to consumers, requiring environmental claims to be properly substantiated.

Aviation: Luxair has introduced its 136-seat E195-E2 on the London City route, adding capacity between Luxembourg and a key business hub with a quieter, more fuel-efficient aircraft. Business Rules: New EU greenwashing rules are now in force for businesses selling to consumers, including Luxembourg firms; environmental claims must meet stricter standards. Digital Infrastructure: LuxConnect marked 20 years in data centres, with its chief executive pointing to rising demand as digitalisation drives investment in secure facilities and computing capacity. Wine Industry: Fire bacterium has been detected at three Moselle sites, and affected vines are to be destroyed, raising fresh concerns for local growers. EU Research: Auditors say €17 billion in Horizon 2020 support for industrial innovation did not consistently translate into commercial impact, calling for stronger links between research and markets.