European Commission

The Clean Industrial Deal is the new masterplan to make EU industries competitive with clean energy in view of becoming the first climate-neutral continent. However, the decision on the EU’s 2040 climate target is still pending. There are also concerns that the simplification of key legislation from the European Green Deal will just water down its level of ambition. Meanwhile, industry and agriculture need more tailored support and investment security for their transition. Will the existing and the planned EU laws be effective for reaching our climate goals? Which policy tools will work well? And where will we need to sharpen them?

Policy coherence can ensure simplification without compromising environmental and social standards. An Omnibus Simplification Package should be used as an opportunity to transform the EU’s legislative framework into an enabling toolbox for businesses transitioning toward competitive sustainability.

Based on the 2024 political guidelines and mission letters to the new European Commissioners, the EU’s approach towards democracy seems to have shifted from a focus on democratic resilience towards democratic security. After a thorough examination of the EU’s 2019-2024 democracy agenda, this study presents recommendations for the next legislative cycle.

This paper finds that the decline of birth rates has been addressed by the European Commission in a way that leaves it as an open frame, which is filled by the right-wing parties. With respect to demographic discourses on migration, the EU Commission seems to have promoted an interpretative template that also allows for arguments on anti-migration discourses.