Brussels, 10 June 2025 

Today, seven leading European NGOs and trade unions hosted a major conference in Brussels titled “Rules to Protect – the Real-Life Consequences of Deregulation”, drawing attention to the serious risks posed by the EU’s current deregulation agenda. The event brought together policymakers, voices from civil society and affected communities, to warn against the erosion of key protections for people and the environment masked as bureaucratic ‘simplification’. 

Organised by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) together with a coalition of seven civil society organisations, including Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO), Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE), European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ), European Federation of Public Services (EPSU), and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). 

The event is a direct response to the European Commission’s ongoing deregulation trend, where, since February, the Commission has introduced four so-called Omnibus packages, with a fifth expected in June. Framed as efforts to “simplify” EU legislation, these proposals risk systematically dismantling key environmental protections with no basis in scientific evidence nor impact assessments. 

“The Commission’s proposal to cut administrative burdens by 25% is arbitrary and lacks a solid evidence base. While simplification can be useful in specific cases, regulation is essential for preventing pollution, upholding rights, and cutting emissions. Any streamlining effort must be backed by evidence and ensure it does not have a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of people and planet, nor undermine or delay the EU’s long-term sustainability goals.“ 

-Patrizia Heidegger, Deputy Secretary General, EEB. 

Deregulation vs. Democracy 

The Commission’s “competitiveness through simplification” strategy, epitomised by its controversial Omnibus proposals, is being criticised for prioritising big corporate interests over the public good and debilitating key pieces of legislation even before they are fully implemented. 

One alarming example is the recent reopening of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, a landmark law adopted just last year that is being targeted before even being implemented without any potential impact assessment, blindly slashing crucial laws it took years to draft and negotiate. 

Furthermore, this proposal is currently under inquiry by the European Ombudsman regarding the possibility that the European Commission breached its Better Regulation Guidelines by failing to provide justification for not conducting a public consultation or impact assessment on the draft legislation. 

A Call to Uphold Public Interest 

The event showcased testimonies from citizens in Belgium, France, and Spain whose lives and livelihoods have already been or are affected by insufficient or rolled-back regulation. 

Together with the organisers, we all are united in our message: Rules exist to protect people and the planet, not to serve short-term corporate profits. As climate and social crises intensify, weakening these protections is not only short-sighted but also poses significant risks. The EU must resist short-term pressures and instead prioritise long-term resilience and sustainability. 

ENDS 

For further information, interviews, or media requests, please contact: 

Roi Gómez, Associate Communications Officer at EEB 

Roi.gomez@eeb.org