Answer given by Ms Albuquerque on behalf of the European Commission
9.7.2025
The Commission agrees on the importance of a thorough assessment of competitiveness in impact assessments. This is why a compulsory competitiveness check is implemented with a stronger focus on sectorial impacts, to better reflect the impacts on sectors, particularly those exposed to international competition.
New consultation approaches, such as implementation dialogues and reality checks with stakeholders that are impacted by regulatory initiatives are also being implemented to seek their views, including on the best possible ways to shape these initiatives to secure the competitiveness of Europe’s economy.
They come on top of the Commission's existing consultation tools, ranked first by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)[1].
The original legislative measures that the Omnibus package adopted on 26 February 2025[2] aims to simplify were subject to comprehensive impact assessments[3] and preceded by extensive stakeholder consultation.
However, the multiple and complex crises and events happening in the meanwhile have strong impact on the competitiveness of Europe’s economy. A recalibration is now needed to address areas where EU companies may be at a competitive disadvantage.
This approach clearly signals that the Commission intends to stay the course on building a greener and fairer society and economy, but to do so in the simplest manner possible and by boosting the competitiveness of our economy at the same time.
If these first Omnibus proposals are adopted and implemented, conservatively estimated total savings in annual administrative costs of around EUR 6.3 billion can already be achieved[4].
- [1] See the OECD Regulatory Policy Outlook 2025, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-regulatory-policy-outlook-2025_56b60e39-en.html.
- [2] See https://commission.europa.eu/publications/omnibus-i_en.
- [3] See https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52018SC0264, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021SC0150 and https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52021SC0643.
- [4] See Staff Working Document Accompanying the documents COM(2025) 80 — COM(2025) 81, https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/1da93ca2-7911-4e1f-9ce6-cecd09a85250_en?filename=SWD-Omnibus-80-81_En.pdf.