Brussels – The words of Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi are beginning to take shape in European regulations. Almost two years on from the reports that set out in black and white the need to boost competitiveness and strengthen the single market, by cutting red tape and removing barriers caused by the fragmentation of regulations across the 27 Member States, the Council of the European Union takes another step towards simplification. Member States today (30 September) approved their negotiating position on speeding up environmental assessments, one of the components of Omnibus VIII, the European simplification package designed to lighten the administrative burden without lowering – at least in theory – environmental protection standards.
The proposal is primarily aimed at reducing the time taken and the fragmentation involved in the procedures required to carry out new projects. The proposal provides for simpler and faster procedures for environmental assessments, through digitalisation, streamlined timelines and, above all, the introduction of single points of contact to guide developers and businesses through the authorisation process. This measure is designed specifically to make the timeframes required to launch strategic infrastructure and investment projects more predictable.
However, the Council has amended certain elements of the Commission’s proposal. Member States have drawn up an exhaustive list of strategic projects that will be eligible for the new “toolbox” of fast-track procedures, while leaving the co-legislators the option to add new categories in future through specific references in the legislation. The position adopted also seeks to reorganise the provisions on environmental authorisations already contained in various pieces of legislation, including Net-Zero Industry Act, Chips Act and Critical Raw Materials Act.
However, this speed must not result in the removal of environmental safeguards. The Council has extended certain time limits compared with the Commission’s initial proposal, with the aim of allowing the competent authorities to fulfil all the obligations laid down in the legislation. It has also amended the provision on so-called “substantial preclusion” to ensure full compliance with the Aarhus Convention, which safeguards access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters.
Nature and biodiversity also fall within the scope of the new compromise. The mandate extends certain provisions relating to the Habitats and Birds Directives to specific recurring activities, such as forest management and the maintenance of watercourses, while at the same time introducing further safeguards against possible adverse effects on animal and plant populations.
Today’s agreement completes the work already begun in June on the other elements of Omnibus VIII. The dossier now passes to the European Parliament: interinstitutional negotiations can begin once the European Parliament has finalised its position, with the aim of reaching an agreement on the entire package as soon as possible.
The political direction, after all, is now clear: since February 2025, the Commission has presented ten omnibus packages to simplify European legislation. And the “One Europe, One Market” roadmap, signed in April 2026 by the Presidents of the Commission, the Parliament, and the Council, aims to complete work on all the packages by the end of 2027.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
