Page contents Page contents Simpler regulation and reducing regulatory burdens are instrumental to a more competitive and attractive Europe.The Commission has a comprehensive set of instruments that supports the drive towards simplification: Administrative burden reduction target A target to lower the administrative burden by at least 25% for all businesses, and by at least 35% for SMEs. This will require cutting recurring administrative costs by EUR. 37.5 billion by the end of the mandate. To this end it puts forward omnibus proposals and other legislative initiatives with a significant simplification dimension. Omnibus proposals are meant to address similar issues embedded in various legislations. They allow maximum synergies and impacts, by bundling together amendments to several legislative instruments.This approach ensures notably the efficiency and coherence of different pieces of legislation, while progressing towards the policy objectives. From January to July 2025, the Commission has proposed six omnibus proposals and other simplification initiatives that reduce recurrent administrative costs by EUR 8.6 billion. The Commission work programmes include the most significant simplification proposals. The gauge shows the achievements up to 31 July 2025.Overall, meeting this goal significantly increases the level of ambition of the ‘one in, one out approach’ in which the Commission proposed net administrative cost savings for businesses and citizens amounting to nearly EUR 14 billion over the 2022-2024 period. Omnibus proposalsOmnibus VIII on environmental legislation. Commission proposals adopted on 10 December 2025.The proposals will simplify the environmental legislation in the area of industrial emissions, circular economy, environmental assessments and geospatial data. Legislative procedure: COM(2025)981 COM(2025)982 COM(2025)983 COM(2025)984 COM(2025)985 COM(2025)986.Data on administrative cost savings is not yet available.Omnibus VII on digital. Commission proposals adopted on 19 November 2025.The proposals will simplify existing rules on data, cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence. Legislative procedure: COM(2025)836 COM(2025)837Data on administrative cost savings is not yet available.Omnibus VI on chemicals. Commission proposals adopted on 8 July 2025.The proposals cut compliance costs and administrative burden for the chemical industry, while maintaining a strong level of protection of public health and the environment. Legislative procedure: COM(2025)526 COM(2025)531EUR 363 million administrative cost savings, out of which EUR 290 in recurrent savings.Omnibus V on defence. Commission proposals adopted on 17 June 2025.The proposals simplify EU rules applicable to the European Defence Industry to facilitate investment and make it easier to design, develop, manufacture and deliver defence products and technologies. Legislative procedure: COM(2025)820 COM(2025)821 COM(2025)822 COM(2025)823Data on administrative cost savings is not yet available.Omnibus IV package on small mid-caps, digitalisation and common specifications. Commission proposals adopted on 21 May 2025.The proposals enable small mid-cap companies to benefit from some of the same lighter requirements as SMEs and removes inefficient paper format requests in product legislation. Legislative procedure: COM(2025)258 COM(2025)501 COM(2025)502 COM(2025)503 COM(2025)504EUR 380 million in administrative cost savings. Omnibus III on the common agricultural policy. Commission proposal adopted on 14 May 2026.The proposal reduces complexity and excessive administrative burden for farmers and national administrations in managing, monitoring and reporting, and leverages the potential of digitalisation. Legislative procedure: COM(2025)236EUR 1.58 billion in administrative cost savings for farmers and EUR 210 million for administrations. Omnibus II package on investment simplification. Commission proposal adopted on 26 February 2025.The proposal facilitates deployment and reporting of InvestEU and the European Fund for Strategic Investments. Legislative Procedure: COM(2025)84EUR 350 million savings in strategic investment, of which 324 million one-off savings and mobilising EUR 50 billion in additional public and private investment capacity. Omnibus I package on sustainability. Commission proposals adopted on 26 February 2025.The proposal revises the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) to simplify rules on sustainable finance reporting, sustainability due diligence and taxonomy: EUR 4.5 billion in administrative cost savings. Legislative procedure: COM(2025)81Directive (EU) 2025/794, published on O.J. L on 16.04.2025. Entered into force on 17 April 2025. Member States transposition by 31 December 2025. The Directive postpones:by two years the entry into application of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requirements for large companies that have not yet started reporting, as well as listed SMEs, andby one year the transposition deadline and the first phase of the application (covering the largest companies) of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) removes related obligations for approximately 182 000 or 90% of importers, unlocking EUR 1.2 billion in administrative cost savings. Published on OJ on 17 October 2025: Regulation (EU) 2025/2083 of 8 October 2025; entered into force on 20 October 2025.Forthcoming Omnibus ProposalsFood and feed safety omnibusAutomotive omnibusEnergy product legislation omnibusTaxation omnibusCitizens omnibus Stress testingTaking a critical look at the existing legislative burdens is crucial for advancing the Commission simplification agenda and ensuring that the EU regulatory framework remains relevant, proportionate and efficient in achieving its goals. To this end, each Commissioner has been tasked with systematically reviewing the stock of EU law to simplify it, prioritizing the areas where the burden is most significant. As part of this process, evaluations and fitness checks look at the overall impact of the laws to make sure the rules remain clear, efficient, and fit for purpose. The findings shape future simplification packages.The Commission is also screening its delegated and implementing acts, which constitute a significant portion of the regulatory framework, to prioritize those that that are necessary to implement the main acts and those that ensure simplification. Reality ChecksThe Commission is conducting reality checks with those implementing or directly affected by EU law to better understand how it works on the ground. These direct technical contacts enable the Commission to identify hurdles or positive outcomes, assess the validity of the assumptions behind EU legislation, and determine if the expected benefits have been delivered.Reality checks have helped shape the proposals for simplification, including omnibus proposals, such as the reality checks organised with practitioners on sustainability, on fertilisers, cosmetics and classification, labelling and packaging, on industrial decarbonisation accelerator and with the defence industry.Other Examples:The reality check on State aid rules for affordable housing: solicited input and information from stakeholders and Member States on real-life situations and practical difficulties in the affordable housing sector, in particular on the main current and potential obstacles to implementing State aid rules.The reality check on medical devices helped identify obstacles in implementing the legislation with the help of patients, healthcare professionals and manufacturers.The reality check on implementation of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP): explored together with beneficiaries and business support organisations the use of the STEP portal, and the benefits and obstacles to receiving funding for STEP projects. Improving how we make new legislative actsSME and competitiveness checksEnsuring that the new legislation boosts competitiveness of EU companies, SME and competitiveness check has been systematically applied to the preparation of relevant legislation. This process identifies any potential issues related to the competitive position of EU companies affected and helps formulate appropriate mitigating measures as well as present more clearly the impacts on SMEs.Digital Policies The Commission assesses the digital aspect of its policy initiatives and promotes the principles of digital by default and once only, in partnership with national, regional and local authorities and the relevant EU agencies. This approach ensures policies are digital ready and guarantees that citizens, institutions and companies need to provide standard information to authorities and administrations just once.
