The Commission has adopted its 2025 work programme to boost competitiveness, enhance security, and strengthen economic resilience in the EU. This plan builds on commitments from the Political Guidelines and President Ursula von der Leyen’s mission letters, focusing on flagship initiatives that prioritise the concerns of Europeans.
“Citizens and businesses have called for a simpler and leaner European Union. This roadmap charts our course to a more competitive, resilient, and prosperous Europe,” stated President von der Leyen.
The programme highlights the need for innovation and growth, fostering a more secure and prosperous EU. Proposed initiatives are detailed in an annexe, including evaluations and fitness checks.
A strategic implementation and simplification agenda
A Communication on Implementation and Simplification outlines plans to make EU rules easier to implement and reduce administrative burdens over the next five years.
“Today, we are setting out a vision for an implementation and simplification agenda that will deliver fast and visible improvements for people and business. European businesses should spend less time and resources complying with red tape, so that they can instead focus on what really matters: developing innovative ideas, putting them into motion in Europe and creating high-quality jobs. Every hour saved on paperwork can be a win for all Europeans. We are determined to set the right conditions for more innovation, more business and better jobs in Europe,” explained Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification.
Key simplification measures include introducing Omnibus packages and proposals to enhance the effectiveness of EU laws. The first package will address sustainable finance reporting and due diligence. Additionally, the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act will streamline permitting processes. A new definition of small mid-caps will help SMEs grow by lessening regulatory obstacles. The programme seeks to simplify processes in various areas, including the Common Agricultural Policy, and explore further simplification proposals in the defence sector.
Find the key deliverables of the 2025 Commission work programme
“As we enter the new EU Commission mandate facing a unique set of challenges, it is important that our Commission work programme is as impactful as possible. The competitiveness of the European economy needs to be reinforced in the face of increased, often unfair, competition and unpredictability. That is why we will be laser focused on pursuing our strategic interests. And that is also why we have listened to and heard our businesses’ call for rules that are simpler to manage. I appreciate the valuable cooperation with the Parliament and the Council in preparing this Commission work programme. Good policymaking is a team effort – and it will also be needed during its implementation,” Maroš Šefčovič, Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security; Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency, emphasised.
Sustainable Prosperity and Competitiveness: The newly launched Competitiveness Compass will guide efforts for sustainable growth, while the EU Start-up and Scale-up Strategy will empower entrepreneurs by providing better access to capital. Central to the collaborative plan for decarbonisation and competitiveness is the Clean Industrial Deal, which aims to achieve a proposed 90% reduction in emissions by 2040.
Defence and Security: In response to rising tensions in the geopolitical landscape, the EU is intensifying its efforts to safeguard security and ensure peace, unveiling plans to strengthen the future of European defence. By investing collectively and strategically alongside NATO, the EU aims to bolster its defence industry and reduce dependencies. The Preparedness Union Strategy will enhance crisis anticipation and resilience, supported by initiatives like the EU Stockpiling Strategy and the Critical Medicines Act, which aim to secure essential resources.
Supporting People, Strengthening Our Societies and Our Social Model: To reinforce Europe’s unique and highly valued social model and enhance social fairness, the Commission will lead efforts to modernise social policies through the New Action Plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights. To adapt to technological, demographic, and sectoral transformations, the Commission will introduce the Union of Skills, ensuring all workers receive the necessary education and training.
Sustaining Our Quality of Life: The Commission plans to present a Vision for Agriculture and Food to establish a stable framework for farmers and outline a roadmap for key proposals. The Ocean Pact will create a unified framework for ocean policies to preserve ocean health and enhance the EU blue economy. Additionally, the European Water Resilience Strategy will adopt a source-to-sea approach to manage water resources effectively, addressing climate change impacts such as floods and droughts. A simplification package of the Common Agricultural Policy will tackle complexity and reduce the administrative burden for farmers and national administrations.
Protecting Democracy and Upholding Values: Initiatives like the Democracy Shield will address rising extremism and disinformation threats. The Commission also plans to enhance strategies to combat discrimination based on gender, disability, sexual orientation, or race, including a renewed LGBTIQ Equality Strategy and a new Anti-racism Strategy.
A Global Europe: Leveraging Our Power and Partnerships: While supporting Ukraine remains a priority, the EU is committed to achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace based on a two-state solution in the Middle East. A Mediterranean Pact and Black Sea strategy will focus on regional cooperation, economic investment, and security. At the same time, a new Strategic EU-India agenda will provide a comprehensive approach to identifying common strategic interests.
Delivering Together and Preparing Our Union for the Future: The Commission plans to present a new Multiannual Financial Framework to simplify access to EU funding and enhance its financial impact to support national, private, and institutional financing. Additionally, a focus on pre-enlargement policy reviews will further assess the consequences and effects of enlargement on all EU policies, ensuring that our policies continue to deliver effectively in a larger Union.
