The European Commission has rightly put rapid simplification of the EU rulebook high on the agenda. Bureaucracy weighs European businesses, especially SMEs: Over 60% say that the regulatory environment is an investment barrier.
The Commission has put forward six Omnibus packages, revising multiple legal acts at once. Yet, progress has been limited: Only a few proposals have been adopted by the EU Council and the European Parliament (EP), while others remain stuck in political deadlock.
To deliver effective simplification, the Commission should recalibrate its approach and adhere to four principles
- Clarity on goals: simplification should not be deregulation in disguise
- Evidence-based selection of rules to simplify: focus on rules that create high costs with little benefit
- Sound design: use Better Regulation tools to design simplification proposals
- Foster political consensus: align early with Council and European Parliament on goals and scope to avoid deadlock
This way, simplification will reduce costs, safeguard standards and strengthen competitiveness.
