11 countries push for pause on new EU laws

Eleven countries, including Austria, are urging a one-year halt on new EU legislation to focus on simplification, according to a draft discussion paper. Austria's Europe Minister Claudia Bauer explained that existing rules must be fully implemented before introducing new proposals. Bauer criticized the current approach of rolling out red-tape-cutting packages, known as "omnibuses," stating that these efforts primarily serve as ex-post simplification.

The 11 nations, which also include Germany, Italy, Poland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Portugal, and Hungary, advocate for rigorous assessments of proposed laws to ensure their economic viability. They propose subjecting all new regulations to an impact review every five years, with a dedicated year for stocktaking and implementing existing laws.

Bauer emphasized that this effort should not be seen as deregulation but as a necessary legislative deep-cleaning.