Why competitiveness is becoming a cover for “pollute-as-usual”
Brussels, 11 February 2026 – With EU leaders meeting on 12 February to discuss competitiveness, civil society organisations are sounding the alarm. The push to rollback climate, environmental and health protections under the banner of “simplification” risks deepening – not solving – Europe’s economic and social crises.
The European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Europe’s largest network of environmental NGOs, tells EU leaders: enough is enough.
This media briefing lays out why the EU’s agenda on “competitiveness” and rule-revoking packages (“Omnibuses”, in Brussels-speak) is based on misguided assumptions rather than evidence – and why it risks corporate capture and high costs for citizens.
A gift for the slowest-movers
The EU Commission has been echoing narrative from industrial laggards that loosening environmental and social protections will boost its industrial competitiveness. On the contrary, strong environmental laws have historically delivered legal certainty, driven innovation and rewarded early movers. Sweden proves the point: a tech sector more than twice as productive as the EU average, thriving under some of Europe’s toughest environmental and labour standards.
The real drags on Europe’s industry are high energy costs, dependence on fossil fuel imports, and delayed investment in future-proof technologies. Despite industry calls for à la carte exemptions that reward transition laggards and fossil fuel addicts, the EU should stay the course on decarbonisation by ensuring the full implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and phasing out free allowances under the Emissions Trading System (ETS1). These are essential policy signals to unlock industrial transformation and strengthen European sovereignty by reducing fossil fuel dependence.
The cost of inaction
Ursula von der Leyen’s letter to EU heads ahead of the summit claimed that simplification would generate €15 billion annually in administrative savings – a figure that ignores the wider costs of such ‘savings’.
Meanwhile:
-
Poor enforcement of existing environmental laws already costs Europe €180 billion annually.
-
Inaction on PFAS (“forever chemicals”) alone could cost €1.7 trillion by 2050, according to a recent EU Commission study.
Who pays the price
Deregulation quietly shifts costs onto citizens. Weakening environmental, health and climate protections does not simplify life; it transfers the burden from polluters onto households, public health systems, communities, and taxpayers. Around 182,000 premature deaths attributable to air pollution in Europe. As EU policymakers talk about weakening water laws for the mining sector, only 29% of Europe’s surface water achieved a good chemical status.
It also penalises innovators and early movers and erodes trust in EU governance, as recently seen with a proposed exemption for fertilisers under the implementation of CBAM.
Democracy at stake
Exemptions for polluters, rushed Omnibus packages, and sidelining public consultations undermine trust in EU institutions, and have received red cards from the European Ombudsman. When rules are shaped behind closed doors to benefit corporate lobbyists, political polarisation grows, and citizens feel ignored. The focus is misaligned with citizen concerns, which highlight anxiety over the cost of living, safety, and climate-change-driven natural disasters.
Public pushback is real
Recent months show the depth of public concern:
-
In just a few days, over 175,000 people have signed the Hands Off Nature petition, calling on European leaders to stop environmental deregulation.
-
Nearly 200,000 citizens responded to a Commission consultation defending EU nature laws; the highest participation ever recorded.
People are not asking governments to do less. They are asking them to do what only public institutions can do: defend shared goods, protect health and nature, and actively improve quality of life. That requires ambition and leadership, not retreat.
ENDS
Notes:
