On 4 November, the European Commission published its second annual overview report on simplification, implementation and enforcement. The report takes stock of progress towards simpler EU rules and sets out what comes next. For the construction industry, several of its messages deserve attention.
Since taking office, the European Commission has proposed 12 Omnibus Simplification Packages (OSPs) and further simplification measures. These could save more than EUR 22.3 billion a year in recurrent administrative costs, which is almost 60% of the EUR 37.5 billion mandate target. However, the European Commission can only adopt the legislative proposals and therefore stresses that the savings depend on the European Parliament and the Member States in the EU Council agreeing swiftly, and without watering them down.
The report links simplification directly to faster permitting. Omnibus VIII on environmental legislation, which includes the Regulation on speeding up environmental assessments, is expected to bring about EUR 1 billion in cost savings. The European Commission’s April 2026 Action Plan for “regulatory deep cleaning” covers 12 areas, among them housing and permitting. This is also mirrored in the European Commission Work Programme for 2027, which contains a proposal on permitting acceleration and a housing simplification package. FIEC supports this direction and calls on MEPs to deliver on faster and more certain permitting procedures.
National add-ons can undo simplification achieved at EU level. The European Commission is therefore preparing a “Pact against gold-plating”, which it aims to have signed at a European Council meeting before the end of the year. It includes a “review and remove” mechanism that would allow burdens added by national rules to be identified and removed.
FIEC supports the simplification priority to maintain and support the competitiveness of businesses in the EU. Reducing administrative burdens and streamlining the legislative framework for more efficiency is key to restoring a business-friendly climate that attracts investments and supports job creation. FIEC will continue to engage with the institutions and its national member federations to ensure that proposals are effective to deliver both on the broad simplification priority and the EU affordable housing objective in particular.
Click here to access the dedicated Simplification Overview of the European Commission.
