Implementing the Commission’s 2027 work programme: A marathon, not a sprint
On 4 November, the EU executive presented its 2027 work programme and its second report on simplification and implementation. Both recognise the need to close the gap between ambitions and what is delivered to Europe’s citizens and economies, but longer-term questions remain. The Commission will prioritise removing single-market barriers and simplifying banking, digital and housing rules, while advancing energy, defence, migration and democracy initiatives. However, the real novelty is that the work programme focuses on fewer proposals (see the chart below), highlighting the need to ensure better implementation.
This could signal a political and cultural shift: legislative proposals are often taken as the main measure of the Commission’s responsiveness to external events. Yet, the lower number of legislative initiatives may reflect a year-on-year fluctuation rather than a real indication of a commitment to such a shift. At the same time, the number of legislative proposals will matter less than their quality. This will ultimately depend on careful assessments and implementation prospects, among others.
Three related challenges can be identified. First, will actions follow words? The report includes an impressive list of initiatives that the Commission intends to take in virtually all policy areas to strengthen the implementation of its rules. It also points to the need for clearer rules, expanding and continuing consultations and implementation dialogues with stakeholders, and reinforcing administrative capacity. It also acknowledges that enforcement has been largely overlooked in the past. Will the Commission deliver on its own commitments?
Second, both communications have a distinctively optimistic tone, suggesting that implementation and delivery problems are already being resolved. Experts, stakeholders, and European citizens may disagree. This risks complacency.
A third precondition to win the long-term race of delivery is that all relevant institutions and actors have the skills, resources and competencies for implementing, enforcing and ultimately delivering the EU’s goals. The problem is that not even the Commission has them. This is evident from an external review of its own resources and procedures published just last week. The EU executive needs to not only reject the temptation to pursue too many initiatives but also to develop adaptable skillsets to live up to its commitments and future challenges, while at the same time overcoming policy siloes. The European Parliament and Council must do the same, otherwise more targeted plans will not result in higher-quality and more impactful rules. And while all these recently published documents indicate the need to pro-actively involve stakeholders and other implementation partners, there is also a risk of implementation fatigue and dispersion. Less is only more when it is done well.
Alberto Horst Neidhardt is a Senior Policy Analyst and Head of the European Diversity and Migration Programme.
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