Austria has launched a coalition with 12 other European Union member states demanding an immediate 12-month pause on new EU legislation. The coalition aims to conduct an “exercise in legislative deep-cleaning” to reduce bureaucratic burdens on businesses and restore economic competitiveness across the Single Market.
The joint non-paper was signed by Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland, Denmark, Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania ahead of the official launch of the Alliance for the Reduction of the Bureaucratic Burden.
Establishing an Implementation and Consolidation Year
The signatory nations argue that European companies are overwhelmed by rapid regulatory changes, particularly regarding digital governance and climate-related obligations. The coalition proposes that Brussels dedicate an entire year to implementation rather than drafting new mandates.
“We can’t go on tabling new legislative proposals when existing rules have not been fully implemented,” said Austrian European Affairs Minister Claudia Bauer. “Simplification should start before legislation is adopted.”
Under the proposal, EU lawmaking must adhere to strict principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. The alliance asserts that EU legislation should only occur when national governments cannot achieve the target objectives on their own.
Criteria for Future EU Legislation
To prevent regulatory buildup, the 13 member states recommend establishing a permanent framework to assess all future legal acts. Proposed measures include:
- Mandatory Five-Year Reviews: New directives must include an expiration or review clause every five years to verify effectiveness.
- Competitiveness Checks: Draft laws must undergo economic assessments prior to adoption to avoid harming market growth.
- Removal of Redundant Reporting: Existing compliance mandates must be audited and consolidated before introducing new reporting tasks.
The coalition stressed that the initiative does not seek general deregulation, but rather enforceable, predictable rules that maintain established health, safety, and labor protections without introducing administrative waste.
The Legislative Path in the EU Council
While the initiative includes the EU’s largest domestic economies—Germany, Italy, and Poland—the group currently lacks the qualified majority required to force statutory changes in the Council of the EU. Advancing the moratorium will require additional support from large member states such as Spain, alongside mid-sized economies.
Nevertheless, the declaration delivers a clear warning to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. As discussions continue under the rotating EU Council presidencies, the coalition aims to pivot Brussels away from administrative expansion and toward regulatory restraint.
