German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever have demanded an “emergency brake” mechanism to block overly burdensome EU legislation. The proposal, submitted ahead of a Brussels leaders’ summit, aims to shield businesses from red tape and protect European industrial competitiveness.
Halting Bureaucracy to Protect Business Growth
In a joint letter sent to European Council President António Costa, the three leaders outlined the emergency brake as “a last resort and additional safeguard” against regulatory costs stemming from incoming EU directives.
The push builds on efforts by the “Friends of Competitiveness,” an informal alliance of 19 EU member states led by Germany, Italy, and Belgium. The coalition wants Brussels to prioritize economic performance in response to mounting global pressures on European manufacturers and employers.
Implementing the Priority Rule for Strategic Sectors
Beyond pausing new regulations, the leaders called for faster planning and approval procedures in sectors vital to future industrial resilience. These include decarbonization, energy infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and defense.
Under a proposed “priority rule,” existing regulations in these specific sectors would be temporarily waived or simplified. The goal is to remove administrative roadblocks that slow down the development and deployment of new technologies across the single market.
Reversing the Burden of Proof on Corporate Reporting
Reducing corporate compliance requirements is a central pillar of the initiative. The three leaders called for a reversal of the burden of proof regarding reporting obligations.
Under this approach, EU policymakers would be required to prove that any new filing requirement is necessary before imposing it, rather than assuming its utility. This change is intended to reduce administrative overhead, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
EU heads of state are scheduled to debate the scope, legal mechanisms, and implementation of the proposal during their summit in Brussels.
