EC PRESENTS ITS 2025 WORK PROGRAMME
On the 11 February, the European Commission published its 2025 Work Programme (CWP). Alongside the CWP and its annexes, the Commission released a Communication on implementation and simplification, outlining its plans to enhance the enforcement of EU rules, reduce administrative burdens, and streamline regulatory processes. Key initiatives include stakeholder dialogues, stress-testing of EU legislation, ‘reality checks,’ enhanced SME and competitiveness assessments, and closer scrutiny of delegated and implementing acts.
The work programme introduces a first set of Omnibus proposals aimed at simplifying various pieces of legislation, alongside a number of initiatives with a strong simplification dimension. These efforts support the objective of reducing administrative burdens by at least 25%, and by at least 35% for SMEs. The Omnibus proposals will focus on priority sectors identified by stakeholders and referred to in the Draghi report, aim to enhance coherence and maximise simplification by addressing the interactions between different legislative frameworks.
With regards to transport and logistics, the Commission intends to present a Sustainable Transport Investment Plan to support the production and distribution of sustainable transport fuels including measures to accelerate the rollout of recharging and refuelling infrastructure. An upcoming Clean Industrial Deal will outline urgent, short-term strategies to support industry to regain competitiveness while decarbonising. However, the Commission did not include any references to the European Port Strategy or the Action Plan for the European automotive sector.
The Commission will also present a new “Single Market strategy”, aiming to facilitate cross-border services and goods provision while ensuring the full implementation of existing rules and the removal of barriers hindering EU business competitiveness. A Digital Package, including a review of the Cybersecurity Act and an overall simplification of cybersecurity legislation should be published by the end of the year.