The European Commission has launched a call for evidence to collect research and best practices on simplifying EU legislation in the fields of data, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. The initiative was announced on Tuesday, 16 September, and will run until 14 October, in support of the upcoming Digital Omnibus.
The call for evidence is fully in line with the Commission’s simplification agenda and efforts to create a more favourable business environment. The chief aim is to lighten administrative burdens and costs on companies. The initiative also supports the Commission’s target in the Competitiveness Compass to cut administrative burden by at least 25 per cent for all companies and at least 35 per cent for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Commissioner: No compromises on online fairness and safety
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, framed the consultation as part of creating an “innovation-friendly rulebook”. For the Commission, the goal is to “make doing business in Europe easier without compromising our high standards of online fairness and safety”, aiming for “less paperwork, fewer overlaps and less complex rules for companies doing business in the EU”.
We want an innovation-friendly rulebook. It is intended to make business in Europe easier without compromising our high standards of online fairness and safety. — Henna Virkkunen, Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
The European executive plans to present the digital omnibus package in December. The goal is to review the existing legislation to reduce administrative burdens for EU businesses. Although the omnibus is only expected by year-end, the debate over simplification has been ongoing. In July, a coalition of 52 organisations and academics urged the Commission not to revisit or delay regulation. In an open letter, the group addressed “collective concerns” about the forthcoming Digital Simplification Package.
One year since the key report
The call for evidence came at a symbolic moment. It coincides with the one-year mark of the Draghi report, a document outlining a roadmap for strengthening Europe’s competitiveness. Speaking on the occasion, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for “urgent action to face urgent needs” to strengthen European competitiveness.
She noted that simplification has been a top request from businesses. Ms von der Leyen also added that six simplification packages have already been presented in nine months. Two more packages are now on the way, targeting digital and military mobility.
They will make a real difference. With less paperwork, less overlaps, less complex rules. Our proposals will cut EUR 8 billion a year of bureaucratic costs for European companies” — Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
According to Commission President, the so-called omnibuses are designed to achieve “less paperwork, less overlaps, less complex rules”. The expected financial impact on European business is a cut of €8bn a year of bureaucratic costs.
Pause the AI Act: Draghi
After von der Leyen’s speech, former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi expressed frustration that progress on his recommendations had been slow. After one year, the Commission had implemented only a fraction of the 383 proposals. Addressing competitiveness concerns, he pointed to the need for simplification in European digital regulation.
Draghi cited the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) as an example. To him, the law calls for a “clear demand for a radical simplification” and warned that legal uncertainty has “raised the cost of data by about 20 per cent for EU firms compared with US peers”.
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Turning to the AI Act, he noted that the first set of rules “landed without major complications. Codes of practice signed by most major developers, together with the Commission’s August guidelines, have clarified responsibilities”. It was referring specifically to provisions “which included the ban on ‘unacceptable-risk’ systems.”
In my view, implementation of this stage should be paused until we better understand the drawbacks. — Mario Draghi, former President of the European Central Bank
However, he argued that the next stage of the Act, covering high-risk AI systems in areas like critical infrastructure and health “must be proportionate and designed to support innovation and development”. To address this, Mr Draghi suggested that implementation of this stage should be paused “until we better understand the drawbacks”.
Under the AI Act, the obligations for high-risk systems will take effect on 2 August, 2026.
