The policy recommendations on the 'Simpler and Faster Europe' initiative were adopted by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 2 July, after a fast-track process.

The opinion, led by rapporteur-general Jelena Drenjanin (SE/EPP), member of Huddinge Municipality Council, emphasises the importance of involving local and regional authorities before and after legislation is adopted, as a means of reducing bureaucracy and ensuring that EU legislation supports entrepreneurship, protects citizens, and works effectively on the ground.

Ms Drenjanin said: "Simplification is not about lowering standards. It's about making sure we can deliver on democracy, sustainability and prosperity without drowning in red tape. It's about making European Union rules clear, practical, but also future-proof."

The CoR said that current levels of bureaucracy are hindering local investment, job creation, and responses to crises, and argues that swift and effective assessment of the impacts of EU legislation are essential in efforts to improve outcomes.

Early involvement of cities and regions in scrutiny of draft legislation and wider use of better regulation and subsidiarity tools – including CoR instruments such as territorial impact assessments, rural-proofing, strategic foresight, and its regional monitoring network (RegHub) – would help ensure that EU policies are simpler, more practical and easier to implement.

The European Commission's simplification agenda is based on four pillars: improving implementation, simplifying and accelerating processes, enhancing rule-making, and fostering partnerships.

A majority of EU legislation requires action by local and regional governments, a reality that underpins the demands by the European Committee of the Regions for the European Commission to systematically integrate local and regional perspectives more fully when it develops and reviews laws.  

Rapporteur-general Jelena Drenjanin (SE/EPP), member of Huddinge Municipality Council: "Europe stands at a crossroads. While we debate and delay, the world moves forward at breakneck speed — in AI, in global markets, in geopolitical influence. If we don't act now, we risk becoming spectators in a future written by others. That’s why we need a Europe that is simpler, faster, and smarter — one that cuts through complexity, empowers cities and regions, and clears the path for innovation. Simplification isn’t about lowering standards — it’s about delivering results. It’s about building a Union that’s agile enough to lead, not just keep up. And that starts with us — today, not tomorrow."