The Commission aims to reduce administrative burdens for all companies by at least 25% and for small and medium-sized enterprises by at least 35% by the end of its term. The German economy supports this target. However, the announced relief of €17 billion is considered insufficient compared to the burdens caused by new EU legislative acts. In Germany alone, bureaucracy costs amount to over €65 billion annually, according to the National Regulatory Control Council. At the EU level, the Danish EU Presidency estimated annual bureaucracy costs of ongoing and newly adopted legislation at over €70 billion.

© DIHK / Marko Priske

"Businesses need to see tangible results in bureaucracy relief that make a difference in their daily operations. Fewer forms, fewer duplicate reports, and simpler rules would free up resources for investment and innovation. Thus, the simplification report must not just be a mere activity report but should transparently contrast burdens and actual savings," emphasised Freya Lemcke, Head of the DIHK Brussels office.

The DIHK highlights three key areas: Existing reporting obligations must be systematically reviewed for overlaps and streamlined. Companies should be able to feed their practical implementation experiences into the revision of rules at an early stage. In addition, all economically relevant initiatives require data-driven impact assessments, including cost-benefit analyses that clearly consider cumulative burdens and impacts on competitiveness.

"Those who aim to reduce bureaucracy should not simultaneously introduce new, complex obligations elsewhere," said Lemcke. "The EU needs simpler rules from the outset, realistic implementation deadlines, and consistent impact assessments. Small and medium-sized enterprises must finally become the benchmark of good legislation."

The DIHK expects the Commission to define clear reduction targets, adopt transparent metrics, and regularly review them against business experiences. Only if relief efforts are perceptible in everyday business practice can the simplification agenda strengthen European competitiveness.