(fra Kommisjonens meddelelse)

I.Introduction

Over the next five years, the Commission will pursue an ambitious programme, as set out in the Political Guidelines, with forward-looking, innovative policies, maintaining high standards. These new initiatives will build on the foundations of a thriving, diverse and fair European Union, to make Europe an even more desirable place to live, work and invest.

At the same time, we will radically lighten the regulatory load for people, businesses and administrations in the EU. To boost prosperity and resilience, the Commission will propose unprecedented simplification to unleash opportunities, innovation and growth. We will launch a new drive to speed up, simplify and improve EU policies and laws, make rules clearer and easier to understand and faster to implement. We will also deepen our cooperation with all relevant institutions and stakeholders so that shared responsibility drives better results.

Strengthening the EU’s competitiveness has become more important than ever in today’s volatile and uncertain world. It requires a legal environment that stimulates business creation and growth and that protects and empowers people in the simplest, fastest and most effective way possible. It also requires a sharp focus on the evolving realities on the ground, coupled with clarity of purpose to achieve our economic, social and environmental goals by the most cost-efficient means possible.

High standards can be a powerful source of competitive advantage. In many instances, they underpin the value and quality of European products, protect our citizens, drive innovation and ensure our economy is sustainable and fair. These advantages come to bear only if the EU’s rules are proportionate, effective and fully and consistently implemented. Our rules must also keep pace with the frontiers of human and technological progress, and be responsive to global developments.

As highlighted in the Draghi report, the accumulation of rules over time at different levels, their increased complexity and challenges in implementing the rules are having a significant impact on Europe’s competitiveness, limiting our economic potential and our prosperity. The time has come to take stock and shore up the quality of our regulatory framework, with a view to accelerating the achievement of our agreed objectives.

This requires bold and concerted action, rather than an incremental approach. The Commission, the European Parliament, the Council, Member States’ authorities at all levels and stakeholders will need to work together to streamline and simplify EU, national and regional rules and implement policies more effectively. Overcoming regulatory fragmentation in the single market is also necessary to drive significant additional economic growth.

This communication sets out a vision for an implementation and simplification agenda that delivers fast and visible improvements for people and business, for a more prosperous, decarbonised and resilient EU. The Omnibus packages outlined in the 2025 Commission Work Programme will be our first deliverables of this mandate. They are only the start. This effort will continue over the mandate, with the ambition of stress-testing the whole acquis of existing EU legislation, in close cooperation with practitioners and stakeholders.

To deliver results, this communication outlines a comprehensive set of tools, without creating any redundant layers of process or administration. Instead, the Commission will refocus its efforts and its resources towards using these tools, to deliver simpler rules and more cost-effective implementation. This change in regulatory and corporate culture will involve our whole organisation. Every Commission service will deliver on this rationalisation effort.

The Commission’s approach to implementation and simplification will be guided by the need to take stock of the past, navigate the present, and shape the future. To better achieve our policy objectives, we will simplify existing rules wherever necessary and ensure that they are better implemented. We will review and adapt our regulatory framework to make it more responsive to the needs of people and businesses. The Commission will give due consideration to better law making principles and legal certainty when making simplification proposals. New better regulation and simplification tools will ensure that future laws are designed with implementation and simplification in mind right from the outset. Through all these actions, we will pursue a more effective and efficient delivery on our economic, social and environmental goals.