A Simpler Europe: Reducing Regulatory Burden and Improving EU Law-Making

Europe’s digital economy is entering a decisive phase in the global race to build the companies and innovations that will define the AI era. Yet this momentum is increasingly constrained by growing regulatory obligations and compliance requirements. The European Commission has acknowledged this challenge through the introduction of several Omnibus packages across different policy areas. While these initiatives are a welcome step towards simplifying Europe’s rulebook, they remain primarily focused on ex post simplification. As such, they address regulatory complexity only after it has emerged, rather than preventing unnecessary rules from being introduced in the first place. This broader ambition to rethink how legislation is designed, implemented and enforced is also reflected in the Commission’s recent Communication, A Simpler, Clearer and Better EU Rulebook. 

Against this background, our position paper goes beyond ex post simplification and sets out proposals to prevent unnecessary bureaucracy before it arises. The position paper is available for download in English.