During the external CIVEX Commission meeting in Limburg, the Netherlands, CoR members exchanged views on the draft opinion “A Simpler, Clearer and Better Enforced EU Rulebook” presented by ECR rapporteur Matteo Bianchi. The discussion focused on reducing bureaucracy, improving the quality of EU legislation and ensuring that simplification delivers tangible benefits for citizens, businesses and local authorities.
Presenting his vision, Bianchi stressed that better regulation must reduce unnecessary complexity and administrative burdens while supporting Europe’s competitiveness.
“For us, better regulation means first and foremost avoiding unnecessarily complex rules, reducing administrative burdens and focusing Union action on what delivers genuine European added value. Simplification and competitiveness are closely linked: less bureaucracy and greater legal certainty are essential, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises and for the proper functioning of the Single Market.”
Bianchi also warned that simplification must not become a pretext for shifting more power towards the centre. “A more centralised Union is not a stronger Union: it is more distant from citizens, less attentive to territorial realities and less accountable to those who must put its decisions into practice.”
He underlined that Europe’s strength is rooted in its Member States, regions, municipalities, local businesses, communities and administrations. Strong territorial foundations, he argued, are indispensable to a competitive and resilient Europe. The rapporteur further insisted that simplification must produce measurable benefits for those implementing EU law. New procedures, controls or monitoring duties must not simply transfer bureaucracy to municipalities, regions and smaller administrations.
“If the new requirements simply mean more work for municipalities, regions and small administrations, the burden is not reduced: it is merely shifted downwards. Local and regional authorities must therefore be involved before obligations are defined, not only at the end of the legislative process.”, he concluded.
The opinion is expected to be adopted by the CIVEX Commission in November 2026 and subsequently submitted for final adoption at the Committee of the Regions plenary session in February 2027.