In a letter to European Council President António Costa, the leaders of Germany, Italy and Belgium argue that cutting red tape is essential to strengthening Europe’s economic competitiveness. They are calling for an “emergency brake” to halt new EU legislation that is considered an excessive burden on businesses. They also propose faster approval procedures for investments in key sectors, including energy, artificial intelligence, decarbonisation and defence.
A proposed “priority rule” could temporarily suspend certain regulations to speed up technological development. In addition, the three countries want to reduce reporting requirements, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. The proposal is likely to spark debate among EU leaders.