Progress is fragile: what takes years to build can be dismantled in mere months. The stark contrast between the first 100 days of President von der Leyen’s two mandates tells a cautionary tale.
Five years ago, she pledged to deliver the Green Deal, Europe’s most ambitious economic and environmental strategy, aiming for a competitive, green, fair, and prosperous society.
Now, the beginning of her second term is marked by an aggressive drive to slash key environmental legislation under the guise of “simplification” and “competitiveness.” The same leadership, yet two vastly different paths—one toward progress, the other toward uncertainty.
The Commission continues to pay lip service to the Green Deal’s objectives, claiming that its simplification agenda does not contradict these goals. But the reality tells a different story, as we have seen in attempts to weaken the EU Deforestation law as well as the recently proposed simplification omnibus regulation.
The agenda is neither neutral nor targeted; it is a gateway to dismantling key legislation. The first Omnibus proposal, unveiled at the end of February, weakens laws before they have even been implemented, in a rushed, fast-tracked initiative which lacks impact assessments, by-passes established EU lawmaking processes, and sidelines civil society organisations and progressive businesses.
This reckless approach, which exacerbates mistrust in European democracy, risks becoming the blueprint for von der Leyen’s second term. Three more omnibus packages have already been announced for her first year in office, including on agricultural policy, which has already seen significant watering down of environmental standards. Without a solid evidence base, these proposals threaten to unravel attempts to move away from polluting agricultural practices and improve our health.
This is not about cutting red tape; it is about rolling back progress before it has had a chance to work. Rather than making reactionary policy U-turns reminiscent of Elon Musk’s handling of DOGE in the US, the Commission should prioritise long-term vision over short-term chaos.
The road to disaster is paved with good intentions. The Commission claims that deregulation is essential for global competitiveness, but this approach is based on two fundamental flaws: it ignores our economy’s dependence on nature, and it undermines regulatory certainty for businesses.
Europe’s economy is deeply reliant on nature - according to the World Economic Forum, half of global GDP depends on natural resources, and the European Central Bank has found that over 75% of bank loans to eurozone companies are tied to ecosystem services. The climate emergency has now reached our continent, with extreme weather events devastating Valencia and other regions. Climate-related disasters have cost the EU €650 billion in economic losses over the past four decades.
Competitiveness can only be based on a stable and predictable regulatory environment, which will allow businesses to make long-term investments. Many companies have therefore publicly opposed the Commission’s deregulation drive, calling instead for support in implementing existing and upcoming environmental regulations.
Meanwhile, shifting majorities in the European Parliament add another layer of unpredictability. Opening laws makes it easier for political forces to dismantle them entirely, as seen with the recent (failed) attempt of hollowing out the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Instead of tearing down existing laws, the EU should focus on enforcing and implementing them. Many critical directives, such as the Water Framework Directive, remain unfulfilled due to political inertia at the national level. The European Commission must use all available tools to ensure proper enforcement, drawing on the expertise of local businesses and civil society organisations.
The momentum of 2019 propelled Europe forward towards a sustainable and competitive future. The U-turns of 2025 risks pulling it back, if the first 100 days of von der Leyen 2.0 are anything to go by. But then, it is not too late to course-correct and prioritise smart implementation over reckless deregulation - there are 1,550 days to go under this mandate.
Enough time for the EU to reaffirm its chosen path toward a competitive, well-regulated, and prosperous future that protects people, economy and the environment.
