Key facts
- Eleven EU countries are pushing for a 12-month pause on new EU legislation.
- Austria is leading the initiative, describing it as a "year of simplification."
- The countries argue that new laws shouldn't be proposed until existing ones are fully implemented.
- The proposal includes rigorous impact reviews for all new regulations every five years.
- The discussion paper suggests the effort is a "legislative deep-cleaning" rather than deregulation.
Eleven European Union member states, including Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Portugal, and Hungary, are advocating for a 12-month halt on new EU legislation. The initiative, spearheaded by Austria, aims to create a "year of simplification" by focusing on the implementation and review of existing rules.
Austria's Europe Minister Claudia Bauer emphasized that the bloc cannot continue introducing new legislative proposals while existing ones remain unfulfilled. She stated in an interview that simplification should precede the adoption of new legislation, rather than being an afterthought through "omnibus" packages. The proposal suggests that all new regulations should undergo a rigorous impact assessment every five years to evaluate their suitability and contribution to economic competitiveness.
The discussion paper, seen by POLITICO, frames this effort as a "legislative deep-cleaning" rather than deregulation. Bauer quoted Elvis Presley, saying, "we need a little less conversation and a little more action," to underscore the need for practical implementation of current laws.