The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK-Organisation) presents over 50 proposals to measurably reduce EU-related bureaucratic burdens and strengthen competitiveness. Focus areas include simplified reporting requirements, practical impact assessments, and streamlined procedures – particularly within EU regulations such as CSRD, CSDDD, EUDR, CBAM, and GDPR.
Red tape slows down the German economy. This was confirmed in mid-2024 by 95 percent of companies surveyed in the DIHK Business Barometer for the EU Elections (PDF, 739 KB). Reducing bureaucracy is their top priority to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's location.
My daily work routine is now dominated by checking, filling out, filing documents, and reporting
Kirsten Schoder-Steinmüller
-- DIHK-Vizepräsidentin
Complex reporting requirements, lengthy approvals, and fragmented enforcement practices constrain businesses in their daily operations. The European Commission has initiated a 25 percent reduction in existing reporting requirements. From the perspective of companies, this is a start – but not enough. The DIHK proposes concrete ways to significantly reduce bureaucracy without compromising sustainability, consumer protection, or safety objectives.
Examples of solution approaches
"Once-Only" principle, consistent impact assessments, clear definitions, and delineations.
Below are some suggestions for easier goal achievement:
Selection of concrete bureaucratic relief proposals at EU level
| Area / Legal Act (incl. abbreviations) | Problem / Bureaucratic burden | DIHK Solution / Bureaucracy reduction |
|---|---|---|
| Data Protection (GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation) | Unclear responsibilities; extensive documentation requirements; complex notification obligations (72-hour deadline); uncertainties in third-country transfers and damages. | Clearer guidelines (Art. 15), genuinely applicable SME exemptions, simplified processor contracts, practical notification deadlines, stable adequacy decisions. |
| A1 Certificate (Social Security for Business Travel) | High manual effort per business trip; varied authority requirements; paper obligation in many countries. | Exemptions for short business trips; EU-wide uniform digital solution; "Once-Only" principle for known data. |
| Employee Posting (EU Posting Directive) | Varied reporting portals and language requirements; significantly different data points. | EU-wide harmonized, English-language reporting portal; uniform minimum data; clear control guidelines. |
| Packaging Directive & Packaging Regulations (PPWR) | Varied national labeling requirements; expensive authorized representatives; high registration effort even for small quantities. | Unified EU labeling (incl. QR code option); optional & digital authorization; centralized registration. |
| REACH Regulation (Chemical Law) | Very complex authorization procedures; extensive data and reporting scope; long processing times. | Simplification & acceleration; negligible thresholds; avoidance of additional burdens during revisions. |
| CLP Regulation (Classification, Labeling, Packaging) | Continuous new classifications lead to recurring adjustment burdens. | Introducing negligible thresholds for notifications. |
| Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUP) | Varied national parallel regulations (e.g., PackagingG, EFHG); high complexity. | Coordination with other EU legal acts; harmonization to increase legal certainty. |
| SCIP Database (Waste Framework Directive, SVHC Notifications) | Extensive substance registrations per product; repeated notifications along the supply chain; little added value for recyclers. | Facilitations for custom products; use of the "Once-Only" principle; reduction of duplicate notifications. |
| WEEE Directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) | Varied national systems; significant labeling burden for small quantities; registration in every EU country. | EU-wide acceptance of disposal instructions; one-time registration for the entire EU. |
| EPREL Database (Energy Labeling) | Complex registration of all energy-consuming products; high effort, especially for SMEs. | Exemptions for small series; simplified processing without external service providers. |
| EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) | Extreme documentation requirements; long certification processes; burdens especially for SMEs & niche products. | Accelerated & less costly procedures; practical equivalence-proof; clear, understandable requirements. |
| EU Taxonomy (Sustainable Finance) & ESRS (CSRD – Sustainability Reporting) | Very high reporting effort; complex criteria (DNSH); lack of proportionality; strong trickle-down effects. | Practical, proportionate standards; better alignment between CSRD, ESRS, and taxonomy; relief for SMEs and indirectly affected parties. |
| CSDDD (EU Supply Chain Act) | Complex due diligence over the entire value chain; significant legal uncertainty; dual regulation with LkSG. | 1:1 implementation; focus on risk-based obligations; clear positive lists; no additional national requirements. |
| Disclosure of Corporate Income Tax Information (Public CbCR) | Double reporting obligations; detailed deviations from tax CbCR; risk of misjudgments. | Elimination of duplicate reports (25% target); alignment between tax and public CbCR. |
| DAC6 (Cross-Border Tax Reporting) | Unclear definitions; reporting obligations even for normal business transactions; excessive effort. | Clearer terms; limitation of unnecessary reporting cases; no extension of additional tax reporting obligations. |
| Pay Transparency Directive | Reporting obligations from 100 employees – even in cases with collective agreements; high data effort. | Raising threshold to 500 employees for SME relief. |
| EU Business Statistics | High data requirements, particularly for small businesses. | Relief & Simplification of statistical reporting obligations. |
For more points, please refer to the impulse paper.
ALTERNATIVE
Beispiele nach Themenfeldern
Download
The complete paper, containing all DIHK proposals, is accessible here:
"Relieving companies from EU bureaucracy and strengthening European competitiveness" (PDF, 1 MB)(only available in German)
- Relevant in topic:
- Wirtschafts- und Finanzpolitik
- Key areas:
-
- Bürokratie
Released 06.11.2024
Modified 11.05.2026
Contact
Kevin Heidenreich
Director Economic Policy
Sandra Zwick
Director European Policy and EU Foreign Trade Promotion
Für die Presse
Susanne Schraff
Pressesprecherin