REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on Simplification, Implementation and Enforcement
Date: 2025-10-21
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: EU policy, EU programme, application of EU law, application of the law, approximation of laws, competitiveness, drafting of EU law, regulatory policy, simplification of legislation

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Strasbourg, 21.10.2025  COM(2025) 871 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on Simplification, Implementation and Enforcement  
 
 
 
 
      
 
1.  Forewords 

Foreword by the President 

Simplification is key to our competitiveness. Since last year’s competitiveness report by Mario Draghi and the 
Single Market report by Enrico Letta, the simplification agenda for Europe has gained momentum. We need 
to remove obstacles that slow down our businesses, and make it easier to invest and create jobs in Europe. 
This goal is central to my Commission’s Political Guidelines. Since the start of this new mandate, we have 
left no stone unturned to make our Union faster and simpler, more focused and more supportive of European 
companies. But simplification alone is not enough. Our rules must also be properly implemented by Member 
States, and when this does not happen, we must take action. Simplification, implementation, and enforcement 
go hand in hand.  

Simplification has been at the heart of our work, and we have put forward six simplification omnibuses so 
far. Once in force, they will make a real difference for European businesses: they will lead to less paperwork 
and  less  complex  rules,  while  upholding  our  social  and  environmental  standards.  We  have  proposed 
simplification measures that would result in over EUR 8.6 billion reduction of costs for companies and citizens. 
Now we need to keep the urgency mindset. More omnibuses are on their way already this year, and it is vital 
that  the  co-legislators  act  quickly  so  that  our  simplification  proposals  can  immediately  deliver  for  our 
businesses.  

Implementation is the fundamental next step. It is not just about simplifying our rules, but also to ensure 
they are correctly implemented in a timely manner. Member States are the Commission’s primary partners 
in  making  sure  that  this  is  the  case.  But  it  is  also  vital  to  reach  out  to  businesses,  social  partners  and 
stakeholders at large, to better understand where implementation is incorrect or incomplete. Over the last 
months, Executive Vice Presidents and Commissioners have engaged with over 550 stakeholders from all 
Member States through 28 Implementation Dialogues. This has provided us with necessary insights on how 
to further simplify and support the implementation of our rules and policies.  

Enforcement of EU law is also key. Experience shows that the fastest way to enforce our rules is through 
cooperation  with  Member  States.  In  the  first  seven  months  of  2025,  the 
Commission has launched 168 pre-infringement dialogues. In two-thirds of 
the dialogues closed, we have solved the issue at stake. In the same period, 
we have also launched 373 infringement cases – and closed almost as many 
of them. 95% of the cases were resolved before we had to refer them to the 
Court of Justice. This means less uncertainty for  Europeans, and less time 
before  they  reap  the  benefits  of  European  policies.  Our  aim  is  always  to 
ensure that the rules we agree together are implemented in full, as quickly 
as possible – so that they can start making a real difference for the people 
of Europe. 

This report reflects the progress achieved so far and sets the stage for further 
is  my 
progress.  Simplification, 
Commission’s approach – for a Union that delivers and a continent 
that competes on the global stage.  

implementation,  enforcement: 

this 

Ursula von der Leyen  
President of the European Commission 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Foreword by Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis 

At the start of the year, we set out a vision to significantly lighten the regulatory load for people, businesses 
and administrations in Europe, and to improve the implementation of our policies. We committed to proposing 
an unprecedented simplification of EU rules, to boost prosperity and resilience, and launched a new drive to 
make rules clearer and faster to implement, so that they can better reach their objectives in practice. 

Our diagnosis was clear and widely shared. The accumulation of rules over time at different levels, and their 
increased complexity, are having a significant negative impact on Europe’s competitiveness and prosperity. 
And  tackling  this  reality  requires  bold  and  concerted  action,  rather  than  an  incremental  approach. 
Strengthening the EU’s competitiveness calls for a legal environment that stimulates business creation and 
growth in the simplest, fastest and most effective way possible, while protecting and empowering people.  

In just a few months, the Commission has put forward six omnibus packages in areas such as sustainability 
reporting, due diligence, chemicals, defence readiness, small mid-caps and agriculture. Together with other 
simplification initiatives, they could deliver over EUR 8.6 billion in savings, in terms of recurring administrative 
costs. These proposals are the first major step towards achieving the 25% reduction target and 35% for 
SMEs that will translate to EUR 37.5 billion savings for citizens, businesses, and public administrations by the 
end of this mandate.  

Our commitment to gradually ‘stress test’ the EU acquis has led already to a first set of legislative proposals 
that  will  simplify  EU  rules.  And  these  efforts  will  continue,  as  reflected  in  the  2026  Commission  work 
programme. We will continue to tackle all sources of regulatory burden – administrative costs, as well as 
compliance costs more generally. This cost reduction is needed for Europe to reach its ambitious economic, 
social and environmental goals not just on paper, but in practice. 

The College of Commissioners has rallied around this purpose. Every Commissioner has held at least one 
implementation dialogue, and many have already put forward ambitious simplification packages. Together, 
we are shaping a new institutional culture – one that is more open and responsive, focuses on efficiency and 
results, and prioritises improving existing rules over creating new ones.  

We are also committed to the highest levels of transparency, accountability, and inter-institutional dialogue 
and cooperation. This annual overview report, and the individual progress reports by each Commissioner, are 
central to those goals. They are complemented by the extensive information available on the Europa website 
on simplification, implementation and enforcement.  

Achieving  our  simplification  objectives 
requires  a  shared 
commitment among all the European institutions, and in particular 
the Parliament and the Council as co-legislators. We have a shared 
responsibility  to  handle  simplification  proposals  swiftly  and  in  a 
focused way, while keeping a high level of ambition. 

And yet, as we move forward to simplify our rules and improve their 
implementation, we are not shying away from enforcing them. The 
Commission will continue to take resolute enforcement action in the 
interests of citizens and businesses right across the Single Market.  

Valdis Dombrovskis  
Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; 
for Implementation and Simplification 

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2.  Executive summary 

Creating  a  simpler  and  faster  Europe  is  a  top  cross-cutting  priority for  the 2024-2029 mandate,  marking  a 
cultural and institutional shift in the European Commission. The priority is to systematically simplify EU laws and 
policies across Europe so that they achieve maximum effect, while improving their implementation and enforcement.  

As  framed  by  the  President’s  Political  Guidelines  and  the  Communication  ‘A  simpler  and  faster  Europe’,  speed, 
coherence and simplicity are key political priorities. This is key to strengthen EU’s competitiveness as outlined in the 
Competitiveness Compass which will guide our action throughout this mandate. Each Commissioner has been tasked 
with reducing administrative burdens and simplifying implementation. 11 out of 18 legislative initiatives in the 2025 
Commission work programme were aimed, fully or in part, at simplifying laws and policies.  

This is the first annual overview report summarising the main results of the Commission’s work across the three 
key components of the new drive to achieve a simpler and faster Europe. Complementarily, each Member of the 
College has prepared an Annual Progress Report on simplification, implementation and enforcement under their 
portfolios. They all cover the period up to 31 July 20251. 

In just six months, the Commission adopted six packages of initiatives (‘omnibuses’) and other proposals that aim 
to reduce burden and simplify legislation, cutting costs by over EUR 8.6 billion. In addition, it made progress on 
stress-testing the EU acquis in several areas, including energy, financial, digital and company and consumer law, 
building on the stakeholder input received during reality checks and implementation dialogues.  

Over 550 stakeholders were consulted via 28 implementation dialogues organised by the Members of the College, 
in coordination with the Commissioner for Implementation and Simplification. These dialogues are also part of the 
new consultation tools developed to speed up implementation of EU laws, policies and EU funding across Member 
States. The Commission has supported Member States through multiple instruments to achieve full transposition 
and implementation of our jointly agreed rules and enforced EU law with determination. 

The last part of the report presents the next steps in this work to drive a real change of regulatory culture across 
the European Union. It underlines the importance of partnership and continued work together with Parliament and 
the Council, also sharing also the responsibility with the Member States to achieve a faster and simpler Europe.  

For this ambitious agenda to be successful, the Commission relies on the European Parliament and the Council 
to sustain and even accelerate the work on the ‘omnibus’ packages and other simplification proposals, maintaining 
their level of ambition and ensuring that the benefits are felt quickly. Member States also play a crucial role. Their 
proactive engagement is essential to reduce the overall regulatory burden on people and businesses, and to ensure 
that EU laws and policies are implemented swiftly and efficiently. The Commission also calls on Member States to 
participate in simplification efforts by simplifying and cutting red tape stemming from national rules.   

The Commission will continue to pursue the drive to simplify EU laws and policies over the years ahead. This is 
reflected in the 2026 Commission work programme adopted at the same time as this report – with more than half 
of the initiatives having a strong simplification dimension. We will also continue to use all our tools and resources 
to accelerate implementation and will not hesitate to use enforcement mechanisms to ensure that rules agreed 
deliver the best possible results. 

3.  Delivering results: key measures 

“To protect jobs, we need to make business in Europe easier. And the omnibuses we have put on the table so far will 
make a real difference. Less paperwork, less overlaps, less complex rules. Our proposals will cut EUR 8 billion a year 
of bureaucratic costs for European companies.” 

State of the Union address by President von der Leyen 
10 September 2025, Strasbourg 

……………………………………. 

1 This first overview report covers the period of 7 months. The next report will cover the 12-month period from 1st of August 2025 until 31st of July 2026.   

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A. Simplification and stress tests  

Simplification and burden reduction are essential parts of our agenda to boost the EU’s competitiveness. In an 
unprecedented drive to simplify and to make sustained and measurable progress, the Commission is focused on 
removing  barriers  in  the  single  market  and  regulatory  bottlenecks  to  sustainable  economic  growth.  It  had  set 
ambitious targets to reduce the administrative burden for all companies by at least 25% and by 35% for small and 
medium enterprises (SMEs) by the end of the mandate of this Commission. In March 2025, the European Council 
called on the Commission and the co-legislators to work towards achieving these targets. 

The 2025 Commission work programme, in which 11 out of 18 proposals have a strong focus on simplification, 
puts this agenda into motion. Since February 2025, based on input from stakeholders and internal analysis, the 
Commission has put forward six packages of initiatives that specifically aim to reduce administrative burden and 
simplify  the  legislative  framework.  These  packages  –  called  omnibus  proposals  due  to  their  cross-cutting  and 
targeted nature and complementing other simplification proposals – will reduce burdens for SMEs, larger companies 
and public administrations, with over EUR 8.6 billion in recurring administrative cost savings. 

The Omnibus I is a far-reaching initiative to simplify the rules on sustainability reporting, sustainability due 
diligence and taxonomy (EUR 4.5 billion savings). In addition to reducing the number of companies subject to 
sustainability  reporting  requirements  and  limiting  reporting  in  the  value  chain,  it  postponed  by  two  years  the 
requirements for certain companies, including smaller ones (the so-called wave two and wave three companies) 
subject to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. It also postponed by one year the transposition deadline 
and date of application for the first group of companies under the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. 
The European Parliament and the Council adopted this measure on 17 April 2025, and the amendments to the 
Taxonomy delegated act were adopted in July 2025. The other parts of the package are expected to be adopted by 
the end of 2025. 

Also, within Omnibus I, the proposal to simplify the Carbon Border  Adjustment  Mechanism removes related 
obligations for approximately 182 000 or 90% of importers, most of which are SMEs, unlocking EUR 1.2 billion in 
savings. It was adopted by the co-legislators in October 2025.  

The Omnibus II on simplifying investment rules makes it easier both to use and then report on InvestEU and the 
European Fund for Strategic Investments (EUR 350 million savings, of which EUR 324 million one-off administrative 
cost savings and mobilising EUR 50 billion in additional public and private investment capacity). It is planned to be 
adopted by the co-legislators shortly.  

The Commission also proposed simplifying the External Action Guarantee and easing procedures. Discussions in the 
European Parliament and in the Council are ongoing.  

The Omnibus III on the common agricultural policy reduces complexity and excessive administrative burden for 
farmers  and  national  administrations  in  managing,  monitoring  and  reporting,  and  leverages  the  potential  of 
digitalisation  (to  yield  EUR 1.58 billion  in  annual  savings for  farmers  and  EUR  210  million  for  administrations). 
Discussions in the European Parliament and in the Council on this proposal are at an advanced stage.  

The Omnibus IV on small mid-caps, digitalisation, and common specifications enables small mid-cap companies 
to benefit from some of the same lighter requirements as SMEs, removes inefficient paper format requests in product 
legislation and postpones the application of due diligence rules on batteries, which were agreed in July 2025 (EUR 
380 million in savings). Discussions in the European Parliament and the Council are ongoing.  

The Omnibus V on defence readiness simplifies 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. It 
tackles both specific EU defence legislation and general legislation with an impact on defence activities. Discussions 
in the European Parliament and the Council are ongoing.  

The Omnibus VI cuts compliance costs and administrative burden for the chemical industry while maintaining a 
strong level of protection of public health and the environment. It simplifies the rules on classification, labelling, the 
packaging of chemicals, fertilising products and cosmetics products (unlocking savings of EUR 363 million, out of 
which EUR 290 million in recurrent savings). Discussions in the European Parliament and the Council are ongoing. 

Together, with other initiatives, such as the package of measures to create a simpler and standardised securitisation 
framework, the omnibus proposals contribute substantially to the Commission’s target to reduce the administrative 
burdens by at  least  25%, and by at  least  35% for SMEs. Reaching this target will require cutting recurring 

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administrative costs by EUR 37.5 billion by the end of the mandate. With EUR 8.6 billion2 in administrative cost 
savings, the Commission has already proposed over a fifth of the target in the first few months of this five-
year mandate, which are now for the co-legislators to take forward swiftly. Moreover, with these measures, the 
Commission also cut one-off cost to the tune of EUR 4 billion. Overall, meeting this goal significantly increases the 
level of ambition of the ‘one in, one out’ approach taken over the 2022-2024 period, in which the Commission 
proposed net administrative cost savings for businesses and citizens amounting to nearly EUR 14 billion. 

The  omnibus  proposals  have  also  included  specific  savings  for 
SMEs amounting to over EUR 2.8 billion. This comprises savings of 
EUR 1.6 billion in Omnibus III (common agricultural policy), EUR 830 
million  in  the  Carbon  Border  Adjustment  Mechanism  (Omnibus  I), 
EUR  180  million  in  the  Omnibus  IV  (small  mid-caps  and 
digitalisation) and EUR 67 million recurrent savings stemming from 
Omnibus VI (chemicals).  

In  addition  to  quantifiable  administrative  burden  reduction,  the 
omnibus  packages  adopted  so  far  introduce  several  measures 
benefiting  SMEs  across  different  sectors  and  helping  them  do 
business in the EU. The Commission has proposed to exclude listed 
SMEs  from  corporate  sustainability  reporting  obligations,  while  a 
value  chain  cap  and  a  voluntary  standard  will  protect  companies 
with fewer than 1,000 employees from disproportionate information requests. Under corporate sustainability due 
diligence, the Commission has proposed a shield that protects SMEs against burden shifting from large companies, 
as well as less frequent assessments and more proportionate steps. The changes proposed to the Carbon Border 
Adjustment Mechanism simplify compliance for SMEs by exempting small importers below 50 tonnes per year and 
easing  reporting,  authorisation,  and  emissions  calculation  requirements.  SMEs  are  also  expected  to  gain  from 
streamlined administrative procedures that improve access to InvestEU (Omnibus II). Small farmers are set to receive 
support through a simplified payment scheme, and benefit from streamlined controls, stronger crisis management, 
and enhanced competitiveness and digitalisation support (Omnibus III).  

More broadly, SMEs will  also benefit from replacing paper-based requirements with digital processes,  simplified 
record-keeping obligations in the General Data Protection Regulation and higher reporting thresholds for F-gases 
(Omnibus IV). The clarification of defence rules will simplify access to funding, permitting, and cross-border transfers, 
thereby also easing burdens for SMEs operating in the defence area (Omnibus V). Finally, SMEs will also benefit from 
streamlined hazardous chemical labelling rules, clearer EU  cosmetics regulations, and easier registration for EU 
fertilising products through alignment with standard REACH information requirements (Omnibus VI). 

On 1 April 2025, the Commission also adopted its proposal for a modernised cohesion policy as part of its mid-
term review, which amends the Regional Development Fund/Cohesion Fund and Just Transition Fund regulations 
(adopted  by  the  co-legislators  on  18  September  2025).  It  encourages  Member  States  to  better  align  their 
programmes with EU strategic and emerging priorities, by reallocating available funds to competitiveness, defence, 
housing,  water  resilience,  and  the  energy  transition.  Member  States  also  benefit  from  simplification  measures, 
notably  faster  financing  to  strategic  European  projects  selected  under  other  EU  instruments  and  to  companies 
investing  in  Europe’s  value  chains,  enhanced  flexibilities  in  the  implementation  framework,  as  well  as  financial 
incentives in terms of higher pre-financing and co-financing. In addition, the possibility to benefit,  under certain 
circumstances, from an eligibility period extended by one year reduces timing pressure on beneficiaries. 

The Commission’s recent proposals for the next multiannual financial framework are also a major contribution 
to the drive to simplify EU rules. The aim is to significantly reduce the burden for recipients and beneficiaries of EU 
funds, including businesses, people and administrations. The proposal will make it easier for beneficiaries to access 
EU funds, with a single portal consolidating information on funding and tender opportunities and streamlined support 
for project promoters. This will reduce the time needed to find information on EU funding opportunities.  

In addition, the next financial framework will have a simpler design, with a reduced number of EU programmes and 
with harmonised rules. This will reduce overlaps and maximise synergies between different programmes. National 
and  regional  partnership  plans  will  reduce  the  number  of  programming  documents  and  the  related  burden  on 

……………………………………. 

2 Excluding savings for Omnibus V on defence, for which the staff working document is being finalised. 

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national  and  regional  administrations.  The  use  of  financial  instruments  and  budgetary  guarantees  will  also  be 
simplified, with a harmonised set of technical rules, a single budgetary guarantee for internal policies  under the 
European Competitiveness Fund and a separate guarantee for external policies under the Global Europe Fund. This 
will considerably reduce the administrative burden, notably for our implementing partners and final beneficiaries.  

Finally, an upgraded performance framework will provide a single set of rules, reducing the administrative burden 
associated with monitoring and reporting. A single expenditure and performance monitoring system will apply to all 
programmes, replacing over 5 000 indicators with a streamlined set of around 900 indicators.   

The Commission is also determined to embed the simplification perspective into all new proposals. To ensure 
that the upcoming legislation is conducive to growth, a new SME and competitiveness check has been introduced in 
impact assessments in 2025 to ensure that new proposals showcase the culture change of less bureaucracy for 
businesses in order to boost competitiveness of EU companies, including SMEs. Moreover, since January 2025, the 
Commission assesses the digital dimension of its policy initiatives, in line with the Interoperable Europe Act. This 
way, the Commission promotes the use of legal requirements that include digital implementation by default and 
encourages the reuse of existing data and digital solutions.  

To complement this overview report, the Commission will continue reporting on the administrative burden reduction 
target and present an overview of the key results of the work to simplify legislation, avoid overregulation and reduce 
burdens on the Europa website3. 

Stress testing 
Cutting red tape and achieving simpler rules require taking a critical look at the accumulated burdens across existing 
legislation. Each Commissioner has been tasked with carrying out a comprehensive stress test of the body of EU 
law in his or her remit, under the coordination of the Commissioner for Implementation and Simplification. The aim 
of this process is to simplify, codify and consolidate the EU regulatory framework, and to ensure it remains relevant, 
proportionate, and fit to achieve its objectives in the most cost-efficient way. 

The  stress-testing  process  prioritises  areas  where  burdens  are  felt  most  acutely  and  where  there  is  the 
greatest potential to simplify. The priorities are drawn up based on stakeholder feedback, including through our new 
consultation tools (implementation dialogues and reality checks), and based on internal analysis by Commission 
departments. Completed evaluations and the Draghi and Letta reports also help to identify priorities. Stress tests 
will inform further omnibus and simplification initiatives throughout this mandate. In 2025, significant policy areas 
are  being  screened,  including  key  parts  of  financial,  digital,  energy,  company  and  consumer  law,  to  determine 
whether  the  current  rules  are  meeting  their  intended  objectives  and  to  identify  opportunities  for  reducing 
administrative costs. For example, a forthcoming report on the competitiveness of the banking sector legislation 
will also assess the complexity of the EU regulatory framework.  

On  digital  policy,  the  Commission  has  looked  for  opportunities  to  simplify  legislation.  It  will  propose  a  digital 
omnibus by the end of 2025 covering EU law governing  data policy under the Free Flow of Non-Personal Data 
Regulation, the Data Governance Act, and the Open Data Directive. It will also cover the rules on cybersecurity and 
incident reporting requirements, the application of the Artificial Intelligence Act and other targeted aspects related 
to the General Data Protection Regulation. The digital omnibus will also ensure alignment with the forthcoming 
proposal for an EU Business Wallet. The Commission is also working on a comprehensive digital fitness check to look 
more broadly at the cumulative effect, the coherence and the opportunities that can be created in the application of 
the EU digital law and related rules. 

On food and feed safety policy, the Commission has identified potential to simplify rules and will present an 
omnibus proposal by the end of the year, as announced in the Vision for Agriculture and Food. The aim of the 
package will be to reduce unnecessary regulatory and administrative burden while maintaining strict requirements 
for ensuring food and feed safety, as well as to protect public and animal health, plant health and the environment. 
The  proposal  responds  to  repeated  requests  from  stakeholders  and  EU  Member  States  for  faster  and  clearer 
procedures for plant protection products, drones, biocides, feed additives, hygiene rules and official controls. 

……………………………………. 

3 https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-making-process/better-regulation/simplification-and-implementation/simplification_en 

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On environment, the Commission conducted a call for evidence to identify simplification potential in the area of 
circular economy, waste, industrial emissions and environmental assessments and will propose an environmental 
omnibus by the end of 2025.  

On energy and climate policies, following the report on the functioning of the Governance Regulation and its 
evaluation, the Commission will revise the governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action and related legislation 
to streamline and simplify in particular reporting obligations for Member States in the energy and climate field, as 
well as to further align the EU framework with international commitments. The fitness check on the energy security 
of supply framework is currently ongoing and will be finalised this year. 

Company law and consumer law were also prioritised for stress testing in 2025, following stakeholder input. This 
will result in a 28th regime to create a single harmonised set of rules for companies throughout the EU in 2026. It 
will remedy the patchwork of national company law rules that makes it difficult to do business across several EU 
countries. An evaluation of the Shareholder Rights Directive is ongoing, with a view to exploring ways to further 
harmonise and simplify cross-border operations of investors, issuer companies and intermediaries and assess the 
scope to reduce costs and burdens for them.  

Following the comprehensive fitness check of EU consumer law completed in 2024, the Commission is working on 
a Digital Fairness Act to fill the identified gaps in the digital consumer protection. Considering the findings of the 
fitness  check  and  the  implementation  dialogue  held  on  15  July  2025  on  Consumer  Protection  in  the  Digital 
Environment4, the ongoing impact assessment and consultations on the Digital Fairness Act cover also potentially 
significant simplification elements in specific areas, such as consumer information requirements in online contracts 
and the right of withdrawal from digital media services.  

On data protection, following the implementation dialogue5 held on 16 July 2025, the Commission will propose 
targeted amendments to the General Data Protection Regulation, as part of the digital omnibus to be presented by 
the  end  of  2025  and  will  further  reflect  on  how  to  modernise  the  data  protection  framework  and  improve  its 
governance and implementation, while upholding the fundamental right to data protection.   

Delegated and implementing acts 
Stress-testing does not only cover legislation but also implementing rules. The Commission adopts many delegated 
and implementing acts every year. These comprise a significant share of the overall regulatory framework and are 
based on empowerments adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. Many are purely technical or are 
recurring  management  measures,  financing  decisions  or  authorisations.  Some  can,  however,  create  additional 
administrative burden.  

A review of the impact of these acts on regulatory complexity is therefore needed. Commission departments are 
screening empowerments for the adoption of delegated or implementing acts. The aim is to identify whether 
such acts are legally required, and whether they would simplify the regulatory framework or are necessary to achieve 
EU policy objectives and thus should be prioritised. If this is not the case, they can be deprioritised.  

For example, in financial services, the Commission analysed 430 empowerments to issue these acts stemming from 
the basic acts adopted by the co-legislators during the 2019-2024 legislature. Based on this analysis, 115 delegated 
and implementing acts have been assessed as non-essential to the effective functioning of the basic legislation. In 
the environmental field, the Commission has screened 253 potential such acts. Of these, 196 acts were considered 
necessary to achieve environmental or burden reduction policy objectives, while 57 acts were considered as having 
less immediate added value while being burdensome/costly in terms of administration or implementation.  

The Commission finds it essential to include empowerments into new legislation only where delegated and/or 
implementing acts are necessary to reach the policy objectives and where they do not add significant implementation 
burden. To this end, the Commission counts on the cooperation of the Parliament and the Council to preserve this 
simplification focus, both for new legislation and for implementing rules. 

……………………………………. 

4 Implementation dialogue on consumer protection in the digital environment with Commissioner Michael McGrath - European Commission 
5 Implementation dialogue on the application of the general data protection regulation with Commissioner Michael McGrath - European Commission 

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Reality checks  
Using a new tool, the Commission has started to conduct ‘reality checks’ with those implementing or directly affected 
by EU law to understand better how it works on the ground.6 Direct contacts at technical level enable the Commission 
to identify hurdles or positive experiences, to verify whether the assumptions underpinning the EU legislation 
are correct and whether EU legislation delivers the expected benefits. This process also enables the Commission to 
receive feedback on, for instance, the cost or cost saving levels that had been estimated in the impact assessments 
accompanying  the  policy  proposals.  The  outcomes  of  the  reality  checks  feed  into  the  process  of  stress  testing 
existing legislation (including evaluations and fitness checks) and the design of future simplification proposals.  

The reality checks  conducted so far 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  include  a  reality  check  on  State  aid  rules  for  affordable  housing,  which  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. A reality 
check  on  medical  devices  helped  identify  obstacles  in  implementing  the  legislation  with  the  help  of  patients, 
healthcare professionals and manufacturers. And a 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. 

B. Implementation  

Challenges to the swift and effective implementation of EU laws and 
policies diminish their impact. That is why, the European Commission 
has recently introduced two new consultation tools: implementation 
dialogues  and  reality  checks.  To  this  end,  the  Commissioners  have 
prioritised 
conducting 
implementation  dialogues  to  seek  their  feedback  to  help  us  assess 
progress,  identify  best  practices  and  obstacles,  and  collect  practical 
suggestions to identify the scope for simplifying rules and improving 
implementation. The first round of 28 dialogues has been completed 
involving over 550 stakeholders – including industry representatives, SMEs, companies, social partners, central, 
regional  and  local  authorities,  and  civil  society.  The  dialogues  provided  practical,  operational  insights  that  the 
Commission will follow up and factor into our future work. For example, one of the first dialogues was in the transport 
sector and addressed high-speed rail. The outcome has fed into the preparatory work on a comprehensive European 
High Speed Rail Network Master Plan7. 

engagement  with 

stakeholders, 

by 

The implementation dialogues focused on topics outlined in  
the Political Guidelines and the Communication on a Simpler 
and Faster Europe. Some of the concerns raised included the 
complexity  of  EU  legislation,  layered  obligations,  and  ever-
changing  reporting  requirements.  A  recurring  theme  was 
persistent legal fragmentation and gold-plating of EU 
laws at national level. Stakeholders stressed the challenge of 
operating or investing cross-border when having to follow 27 
interpretations of the same rules. National authorities, in turn, 
struggle to apply overlapping legal frameworks, particularly 
where  multiple  EU  regulations  intersect  without  clear 
guidance  or  coordinated  interpretation.  In  the  first  seven 
months of 2025, the Commission has taken several steps to 
identify and address implementation needs. For example: 

……………………………………. 

6 The choice of participants is driven by the goal of having a ‘hands-on’, direct interaction and pragmatic exchange, while aiming at a balanced participation. 
7 Implementation dialogue on high-speed rail in Europe with Commissioner Tzitzikostas. 

9 

 
 
Helping Member States implement EU law 
The Commission stepped up cooperation with Member States in implementing EU law as the fastest way to ensure 
that EU rules achieve tangible results for people and businesses. In addition to the already existing support measures, 
the Commission put in place new tools to support Member States in their work to implement EU law and to make 
the exchange of information easier. In April 2025, it made available a transposition roadmap IT tool to improve 
information flows and help anticipate implementation challenges. In only three months, this new feature was used 
for 21 directives. The Commission is preparing a standard template explaining transposition obligations to Member 
States and for Member States to explain how these are fulfilled through national measures for new directives.  

Commission services now prepare implementation strategies and guidance8 more frequently for major legal 
acts adopted by the co-legislators. For the Commission to develop targeted strategies and support measures to aid 
implementation, it is crucial to receive early information from Member States authorities on the specific national 
legal, administrative or practical impacts of proposals and adopted legal acts. At the same time, we are increasing 
our efforts to prepare well-drafted, high-quality legal texts that are easy to understand and implement. 

Support for capacity building in Member States 
Better implementation of EU policy and efficient administrative performance could save EU taxpayers and businesses 
billions of euros every year. The implementation dialogues revealed a lack of administrative capacity and the 
need for targeted capacity-building as highlighted by public administrations and stakeholders at central, regional, 
and local levels in areas such as permitting, the Common Agricultural Policy or safety and security, to name just a 
few.  
In  response,  the  Commission  provides  support  to  public  administrations  in  Member  States  through  the  Public 
Administration Cooperation and Exchange programme. In the first half of 2025, Germany, Malta, the Netherlands, 
Austria, Poland and Slovakia received support under this programme to improve their administrative capacity for 
coordination between social security systems, to implement the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation  or to 
implement reforms and investments under the Recovery and Resilience Facility and Cohesion policy. 

In addition, the Commission updated its Quality of Public Administration – A Toolbox for Practitioners. The Toolbox 
gives examples of how to reduce administrative requirements by combining simplification reforms with digitalisation.   

Tools and programmes to support implementation 
The Commission supported the Member States’ work to implement key EU policies and funds through a range of 
tools and programmes. For example, the Just Transition Platform is helping EU Member States and regions most 
affected by the transition to climate neutrality. In 2025, the Platform provided comprehensive advisory services 
to 32 Just Transition Fund regions in 14 Member States9 – to accelerate action and facilitate the implementation of 
the Fund. In the area of migration, the Commission has established 27 country teams providing Member States 
with tailor-made support in the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum. 

On  regional  cooperation,  30  regions  in  15  Member  States10  received  technical  assistance  through  the  S3 
Community of Practice and Smart Specialisation Platforms to implement the European Regional Development Fund, 
contributing to their competitive advantage and promoting innovative and smart economic transformation. These 
instruments  bring  together  researchers,  businesses,  civil  society,  and  public  administrations  who  are  developing 
partnerships in key technologies, such as European Alliances for batteries, hydrogen, and fuel cell technology. 

In addition, to assist the delivery of EU policies by better managing cohesion policy funds, the REGIO Peer2Peer+ 
is a key enabler of change towards simplification and efficiency. Over the past year, it has engaged and exchanged 
with more than 1,100 public officials to address for instance key simplification measures such as streamlining calls 
for project proposals, applying simplified cost options, and adopting performance-based approaches. 

……………………………………. 

8 For example the strategy for the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). 
9 Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Finland, France, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden.  
10 Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia (Karlovy Vary, Moravian-Silesian, Usti), Finland (East and North Finland, Päijät-Häme), France (La Reunion, Normandie), Greece 
(Crete, East Macedonia and Thrace, Western Macedonia), Hungary, Italy (Molise, Puglia, Veneto), Malta, Poland (Malopolska), Portugal (Alentejo, Azores, Centro, 
Madeira), Romania (Centru, South-West Oltenia), Sweden (Jämtland Härjedalen, Västernorrland), Slovenia and Spain (Aragon, Balearic Islands, Catalonia). 

10 

 
 
On environmental protection, the Commission carries out an annual Environmental Implementation Review to 
support all Member States in implementing key EU environmental laws and policies. The fourth review (July 2025) 
identified good practices and challenges in Member States. It recommended improvements and solutions as well as 
‘priority actions’, to help decision-makers prioritise resources, including EU funds and technical assistance. 

Technical support and assistance to implementation 
The  Commission  provides  technical  support  under  its  Technical  Support  Instrument  (TSI)  and  deploys  technical 
assistance to Member States as part of EU funds. In 2025, 135 reform projects were selected for TSI support in all 
Member States providing for 390 innovative and ambitious reforms with a budget of almost EUR 117 million.  

A multi-country project concluded in 2025 supported our public administrations’ backbone on evidence-informed 
policy making. This included a measure to reduce administrative burden in Belgium, and to improve policy evaluation 
in Latvia, Netherlands, Greece, Czechia, Estonia and Lithuania. Similarly, Slovenia improved its rate of  EU funds 
absorption and investment management by reducing system fragmentation, pooling skills and resources, simplifying 
procedures (less gold-plating) and better prioritisation of strategic investments.  

As the New Pact on Migration and Asylum entered into force, nine Member States11 promptly received on-the-ground 
technical support for the preparation of their National Implementation Plans for putting the Pact into practice. In 
addition,  the  authorities  of  nine  Member  States12  are  receiving  tailored  support  to  carry  out  specific  reforms 
stemming  from  their  National  Implementation  Plans  during  the  two-year  transition  period  until  2026.  Other 
examples include support for developing and implementing artificial intelligence models to detect market abuse in 
fourteen Member States13, for simplifying and digitalising environmental permitting for industrial installations (in 
Poland), or for implementing the European Child Guarantee (in Greece), the national strategy for improving financial 
literacy (in Cyprus), or the national housing policy plan (in Croatia). 

Initiatives to improve digitalisation and data access 

The  Commission  has  played  a  pivotal  role  in  assisting  Member  States  with  the  adoption  of  interoperability 
assessments by publishing comprehensive guidelines and the Open Source Software Catalogue. These guidelines 
and the catalogue were made publicly available in all EU languages on the Interoperable Europe Portal. The 
Commission also launched the Interoperable Europe Community in May 2025 to provide a forum for public and 
private-sector stakeholders to co-create, exchange knowledge, and contribute to the practical implementation of 
interoperability across the EU. The Community also supports the Interoperable Europe Board by providing input to 
guide its strategic decisions on cross-border digital public services.  

Building on the European digital identity framework, the EU Business Wallet will enable secure digital identification, 
data  sharing  and  legally  valid  notifications  across  the  EU.  It  will  help  economic  operators  manage  regulatory 
requirements, cutting administrative burdens and compliance costs. 

The Commission is enhancing data access with the rollout of Common European Dataspaces being developed across 
domains such as agriculture, cultural heritage, energy, finance, the green deal, heath, languages, manufacturing, 
media, mobility, public administration, research and innovation and tourism. 

In view of the priority given to accelerated accession for candidate countries, the Commission is developing an AI 
tool (eAccession) that will facilitate the legal alignment process by which candidate countries incorporate the 35 
chapters of the EU acquis into their national legal systems as part of their preparation for EU membership.  

EU agencies and consistent application of EU law 
In 2025, the EU agencies continued to support the implementation of EU law thereby contributing to the consistent 
application  across  Member  States  and  reducing  legal  uncertainty.  They  provided  technical  and  interpretative 
guidance such as regulatory standards, scientific advice, templates, and Q&A documents. This is especially valuable 
in areas involving cross-border activities, where coordinated interpretation is essential. Another key form of support 

……………………………………. 

11 Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Romania. 
12 Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia. 
13 Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Greece, Lithuania, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain and Romania. 

11 

 
 
was  the  promotion  of  practical  cooperation  and  capacity  building.  For  example,  the  European  Labour  Authority 
supported a cross-border enforcement operation involving seven Member States (Belgium, Denmark, Croatia, Italy, 
Cyprus, Lithuania, and Romania), in partnership with the European Roads Policing Network.  

C.  Enforcement  

The  EU’s  credibility  and  success  depend  on  the  full  and  effective  implementation  and  application  of  its  laws  in 
practice. Jointly agreed policies only deliver their intended effects for people and businesses if they are applied 
everywhere in Europe in the same way. The EU cannot afford fragmented or half-hearted compliance. 

This  Commission  champions  a  more  ambitious  implementation  agenda.  Cooperation  with Member  States is the 
Commission’s preferred approach to avoid implementation issues from the outset, but resolute enforcement is 
necessary when cooperation fails. The Commission has again shown its determination to enforce EU law over 
the past months across the most important policy areas. To further increase transparency of its enforcement actions, 
the  Commission  put  in  place  a  new  Europa  webpage  on  infringements,  pre-infringement  dialogues  and 
transposition of directives, allowing for targeted searches and customised graphs per policy area and topic.  

More pre-infringement dialogues for swifter results 
A pre-infringement dialogue, formerly known as ‘EU Pilot’, is used by the Commission when it is likely to lead to 
swifter  compliance  than  a  formal  infringement  procedure.  The  dialogues  also  help  the  Commission  to  gather 
information to determine whether a breach of EU law exists. In the first seven months of 2025, the Commission 
initiated 168 dialogues, confirming an increasing use of this tool14. The dialogues are very efficient with a 
resolution rate of 67%15. These include files in very different policy areas, from health and safety at work to financial 
services, environment, energy, direct and indirect taxation and road safety. With almost 20% of files opened and 
closed during the first half of 2025, the pre-infringement dialogue has clear potential to achieve swift results and 
to collect information. The Commission has also upgraded the IT tool used by Commission services and Member 
States to conduct the dialogues, which will lead to further efficiency gains. 

Early compliance in infringement procedures saving time 
Infringement procedures have been and will remain the backstop needed by the Commission should cooperation 
measures  not  be  sufficient  to  achieve  timely  compliance  with  EU  rules.  In  the  first  seven  months  of  2025,  the 
Commission launched 373 infringement cases, 87% of which concerned the incomplete or incorrect transposition 
of  directives16.  Complaints  from  people  and  businesses  provided  useful  information  identifying  shortcomings, 
resulting in 13 of these new infringement procedures17.  

In the same period, the Commission closed 345 infringement cases18 as Member States achieved compliance. 
95% of the cases were resolved before the Commission had to refer them to the Court of Justice, meaning people 
and businesses reaped the benefits of EU law sooner than if Court proceedings had been necessary. The Commission 
has made progress in many long-standing cases19 and the average handling time of infringements has decreased20.   

……………………………………. 

14 In 2024, the Commission initiated 173 dialogues over the whole year. 
15 Overall, the Commission closed 118 cases in the reference period, including many long-standing cases from 2023 or before. 
16 Repartition by infringement type: 256 cases of incomplete transposition, 69 cases of incorrect transposition, 18 cases of bad application of directives and 

30 cases for breaching the Treaties, regulations or decisions. 

17  These  new  complaint-based  cases  were  opened  against  eight  Member  States:  INFR(2024)4012,  INFR(2025)4000,  INFR(2025)4004,  INFR(2025)4006, 
INFR(2025)4017, 

INFR(2025)4008, 

INFR(2025)4015, 

INFR(2025)4012, 

INFR(2025)4011, 

INFR(2025)4016, 

INFR(2025)4013, 

INFR(2025)4007, 
INFR(2025)4018. 

18 195 cases of incomplete transposition, 51 cases of incorrect transposition, 30 cases of bad application of directives and 69 cases for breaching the Treaties, 

regulations or decisions. 

19 18% of these cases had been opened over five years ago, showing the Commission’s commitment to reduce its backlog of long-standing cases. 
20 34.3 months compared to 36.4 months in 2024. 

12 

 
 
Effective action bringing results for people and businesses 

Tangible results for people and businesses have been achieved across policy areas. The movement of workers 
across  EU  Member  States  has  been made  easier.  Several Member  States  abolished  unjustified  obstacles to  the 
recognition of professional qualifications and the conditions to pursue regulated professions in various areas21. The 
Commission achieved concrete results to facilitate labour mobility in cases brought by complainants22 or subject to 
a petition23. Furthermore, more Member States24 have now correctly transposed EU rules on the posting of workers, 
which concern situations when employers send their employees to carry out services in another EU Member State 
on  a  temporary  basis.  As  outlined  in  the  Single  Market  Strategy,  the  Commission  has  also  used  infringement 
procedures to address Single Market barriers such as fragmented labelling practices or retail restrictions25.  

In  the  digital  area,  Commission  enforcement  improved  compliance  with  the  Digital  Services  Act  and  the  Data 
Governance  Act  as  eight  Member  States  designated  the  competent  authorities  to  implement  the  rules  and 
empowered these authorities to perform the tasks required. Other Member States are still lagging behind and the 
Commission proceeded to the next step in the infringement procedure against six of them. To increase security, 
infringement procedures proved successful26 on the Regulation against the dissemination of terrorist content online 
while further efforts are necessary to complete transposition of EU cybersecurity rules27. The Commission’s actions 
also achieved clearer road transport28 rules and greater railways safety and interoperability29 and advanced 
the trans-European transport network30.  

The protection of consumers has been strengthened as Member States have progressed in transposing EU rules 
on the accessibility of products and services and on representative action to defend collective interests. Likewise, 
the rights of people reporting breaches of EU law  have been reinforced. In the area of financial  services, the 
Commission’s enforcement actions led to stronger borrowers' rights and promoted a more stable and trustworthy 
financial  environment31.  As  regards  workers’  rights,  following  the  Commission’s  enforcement  action,  almost  all 
Member States have fully transposed the EU rules on transparent and predictable working conditions.  

Thanks to enforcement action by the Commission and the imposition of financial sanctions against five more Member 
States by the Court of Justice, all Member States have now transposed EU whistleblowing protection rules, which 
help to prevent and address breaches of EU law in a wide range of areas. 

The Commission successfully enforced EU rules on environment, strengthening the environmental liability regime 
and rules on environmental impact assessments in Member States32. Infringement procedures also led to compliance 
with Member States’ obligations on national water plans, promotion of the water quality of rivers and lakes and for 
preparedness and management of floods33. The EU’s climate and energy policy has been upheld by enforcing the 
revised EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the integrated National Energy and Climate Plans. Furthermore, 
more Member States have implemented the EU’s Clean Energy Package rules. 

……………………………………. 

21 For medical professions and veterinaries in Malta, nurses in Ireland and career counsellors in Greece. 
22 On the free movement of public sector workers in Cyprus and outbound transfer of pension capital in the Netherlands. 
23 In a case brought before the Court of Justice, Italy has remedied discrimination of foreign lecturers. 
24 Slovenia and Finland as regards the Posting of Workers Enforcement Directive. 
25 France and Italy on labelling and Hungary on food retail, drugstore retail and the retail tax regime. 
26 Cyprus, Poland and Slovenia have complied with their obligations and cases have been closed, while Bulgaria, Ireland and Portugal have been referred to 

Court for failing to fulfil certain obligations under the Regulation. 

27 Cases against Greece and Lithuania could be closed but reasoned opinions were adopted against 19 Member States. 
28 For example, cases against eight Member States could be closed regarding transposition of EU rules on use of vehicles hired without drivers for carriage of 

goods. 

29 Czechia and Poland completed transposition of the Railways Safety Directive and Poland of the Interoperability Directive while Germany resolved an issue 

of bad application of the latter directive. 

30 Cases closed for Estonia, Croatia, Slovenia and Slovakia while Belgium, France and Luxembourg received reasoned opinions. 
31 The Commission enforced EU rules on a secondary market for non-performing loans by referring six Member States to the Court and closing cases against 

six Member States.  

32 Cases against Belgium, Estonia and the Netherlands could be closed. 
33 Cases against Bulgaria, Spain and Slovakia could be closed. 

13 

 
 
The Commission enforced EU rules on free movement and protected EU citizenship. On the latter, the Court of 
Justice ruled that granting citizenship in exchange for predetermined payments or investments is contrary to EU law. 
The Commission continued to uphold the rule of law, fundamental rights and the Single Market freedoms.34  

Resolute enforcement action, including financial sanctions  
While the Commission strives to bring infringement procedures to a successful end in their early stages, it does not 
hesitate to refer a case to the Court of Justice if necessary to achieve compliance. In the reference period, the 
Commission brought 45 cases to the Court of Justice. In all cases where the Treaty on the Functioning of the 
European Union so provides, the Commission asked the Court to impose financial sanctions against the Member 
State concerned (15 cases). These figures confirm the increased numbers of referral decisions in recent years35, 
evidence of the Commission’s determination to do what it takes to enforce EU law. 

In the first seven months of 2025, 14 Member States have been paying financial sanctions imposed by the Court 
of Justice of the European Union, amounting to over EUR 302 million36. Some Member States are paying multiple 
financial sanctions related to different judgments of the Court. They concerned EU rules on the following topics, in 
order of magnitude: asylum, protection of whistleblowers, treatment of urban wastewater, waste landfills, clean 
vehicles, audiovisual services and national competition authorities37.  

4.  Way forward 

Over the next four years, the Commission will continue action to make it easier to implement EU law and policy in 
practice, by simplifying EU rules and reducing regulatory burdens. This is necessary to boost the competitiveness 
and resilience of our economy, and to deliver fast and meaningful improvements for people and businesses, whilst 
ensuring the EU’s priorities and objectives are met. The 2026 Commission work programme adopted today reflects 
this drive, putting a clear and strong emphasis on simplification proposals.  

As regards simplification, more simplification and omnibus proposals will follow in the coming months, including 
in the areas of environment, automotive, food and feed safety, medical devices, clinical trials and digital. We will 
also focus on other pressing issues raised by stakeholders, such as in the areas of energy product legislation and 
taxation, and we will also put forward simplification proposals addressing administrative burden on citizens. 

As simplification must be a shared effort among the EU institutions, it is important that the European Parliament 
and the Council continue prioritising work on the Commission’s  omnibus and simplification proposals, preserving 
their simplification focus, while achieving the policy objectives.  

The Commission is also engaging with the European Parliament and the Council so that all institutions live up to 
their  commitment  to  assess  impacts  of  their  substantial  amendments.  To  aid  this  process,  the  Commission  is 
developing a simple and pragmatic approach that each Institution could use for this purpose.  

As regards implementation, Members of the College will continue engaging with stakeholders through a second 
round of implementation dialogues which will take place before the end of the year. They will focus on diverse policy 
areas such as affordable housing, construction, regional business competitiveness, trade and economic security, 
energy products legislation, anti-fraud architecture and banking integration. The Commission will provide tailored 
support to the Member States in implementing EU law to achieve the intended impact of our laws and policies on 
the ground. Together with our work to simplify the rules, implementation will remain at the heart of the Commission’s 
focus to strengthen European competitiveness. For this, cooperation with the other EU Institutions and the Member 
States remains crucial to attain the targets set at the beginning of this mandate.  

……………………………………. 

34 In a referral against Hungary, the Commission asked the Court of Justice to handle the case in an expedited procedure, which the Court granted. 
35 In 2023 and 2024, the Commission referred 134 infringement cases to the Court of Justice, including a request for financial sanctions in 55 of these cases. 
36 Amounts are definitive only after the exhaustion of all legal remedies. The public register provides an updated list of ongoing infringement cases with financial 

sanctions imposed by the Court of Justice. 

37 The fines paid in the areas of asylum, treatment of urban wastewater and waste landfills result from judgements of the Court of Justice under Article 260(2) 

TFEU (second judgement) while the fines paid in the other areas are for an incomplete transposition of EU rules (under Article 260(3) TFEU)). 

14 

 
 
As regards the enforcement of EU law, the number of active infringement procedures remains high, with 
over 1500 cases ongoing. All Member States are concerned, while there are significant differences in the number of 
cases per Member State38. Monitoring the application of EU law and ensuring compliance will remain a top priority. 
Special attention will be given to long-standing cases, without compromising the effectiveness of the Commission’s 
enforcement action: achieving compliance and positive results for people and businesses is what enforcing EU law 
is about. The Commission continuously strives to improve its enforcement policy, ensuring its tools are fit for purpose.  

In its Communication ‘A simpler and faster Europe’, the Commission laid out an ambitious agenda for simplification 
and implementation to boost competitiveness, prosperity, policy delivery and resilience in the EU. Achieving these 
goals requires strong commitment from all other institutions and stakeholders, including in particular the European 
Parliament and the Council. This report lays the groundwork for a structured dialogue with them on the current 
state of EU legislation and its implementation, and further opportunities for simplification. The Commission also 
calls on the Member States to make comparable efforts to simplify, implement and enforce their national legislation. 

……………………………………. 

38  The  three  Member  States  with  most  open  cases  (Spain,  Poland  and  Bulgaria)  have  three times  the  number  of  cases  as  the  Member  State  with  least 

infringement procedures (Lithuania). More information and data on the Commission’s enforcement action is available here. 

15