The Commission has adopted its 2025 work programme, aiming to enhance competitiveness, security, and economic resilience in the EU. It builds on the commitments in the Political Guidelines and the mission letters by President von der Leyen.
The programme focuses on flagship initiatives to tackle key issues for Europeans, fostering a more secure and prosperous EU. New initiatives are detailed in an annex with evaluations and fitness checks.
A Communication on Implementation and Simplification outlines plans to ease EU rule implementation, reduce administrative burdens, and simplify rules, boosting competitiveness and resilience.
Strategic Implementation and Simplification Agenda
The programme emphasizes simplification with Omnibus packages to improve EU policy and law efficiency.
The first Omnibus proposes simplification in sustainable finance, sustainability due diligence, and taxonomy. Initiatives like the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act will streamline permits and reporting. A new small mid-caps definition will reduce regulatory burdens for SMEs.
Simplification in the Common Agriculture Policy and other areas will address complexity for national administrations and farmers. Further proposals, including a possible defence omnibus, will support innovation and investment goals.
Key Deliverables of the 2025 Commission Work Programme
- Sustainable Prosperity: The Competitiveness Compass will guide growth, with the EU Start-up and Scale-up Strategy improving capital access. The Clean Industrial Deal targets a 90% emission reduction by 2040.
- Defence and Security: Strengthening security with NATO cooperation, the EU aims to reinforce defence and reduce dependencies. The Preparedness Union Strategy will boost crisis resilience, supported by the EU Stockpiling Strategy and Critical Medicines Act.
- Social Model: Modernizing social policies through the New Action Plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights, adapting to technological and demographic changes with the Union of Skills.
- Quality of Life: A Vision for Agriculture and Food ensures a stable framework for farmers. The Ocean Pact unifies ocean policies, and the European Water Resilience Strategy addresses climate impacts.
- Democracy and Values: Initiatives like the Democracy Shield combat extremism and disinformation. Strategies will address discrimination, with a renewed LGBTIQ Equality strategy and new Anti-racism strategy.
- Global Europe: Supporting Ukraines freedom and pursuing Middle East peace. The Mediterranean Pact and Black Sea strategy focus on regional cooperation, and a Strategic EU-India agenda targets common interests.
- Future Preparedness: A new Multiannual Financial Framework will simplify EU funding access and enhance financial impact. Pre-enlargement policy reviews will assess enlargement impacts on EU policies.
Background
Annually, the Commission adopts a work programme outlining actions for the next year. Since the new College started on 1 December 2024, the 2025 work programme was adopted on 11 February 2025.
The programme informs the public and co-legislators of political commitments for new initiatives, simplification proposals, and legislative reviews, resulting from cooperation with the European Parliament, Member States, and EU bodies.
For More Information
2025 Commission Work Programme
Communication on Simplification & Implementation
Factsheet on the 2025 Commission Work Programme
Factsheet on the Communication on Simplification & Implementation
Remarks by Commissioner Šefčovič at the European Parliament on the 2025 Commission work programme