The European Commission has announced a new Call for Evidence to gather input on an upcoming “environmental omnibus proposal” designed to simplify environmental legislation and reduce administrative burdens for companies. The focus areas include the circular economy, industrial emissions, and waste management.
This initiative is part of a broader EU simplification push, following the Commission’s January release of the “Competitiveness Compass.” This roadmap aims to enhance Europe’s productivity and global competitiveness, with goals to reduce reporting burdens by at least 25% for all companies and 35% for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The first significant package under this simplification effort, “Omnibus I,” was introduced by the Commission in February 2025. It aims to substantially reduce the sustainability reporting and regulatory burdens on companies by proposing major changes to several regulations, including the [Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)](https://www.esgtoday.com/eu-commission-publishes-csrd-faq-to-help-companies-implement-new-sustainability-reporting-rules/), [Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)](https://www.esgtoday.com/eu-adopts-environmental-human-rights-sustainability-due-diligence-law/), the Taxonomy Regulation, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
By revisiting sustainability reporting and due diligence obligations, Omnibus I could potentially lead to more substantial reductions than initially proposed by the Commission. Some lawmakers have suggested [higher thresholds](https://www.esgtoday.com/eu-parliaments-omnibus-negotiator-proposes-much-sharper-cuts-to-csrd-sustainability-reporting-requirements/) for the size of companies included in the regulations’ scope.
The Commission has faced scrutiny over its approach to Omnibus I, with the [EU Ombudsman](https://www.esgtoday.com/eu-ombudsman-presses-commission-over-lack-of-procedures-in-launching-omnibus-proposal-to-scale-back-sustainability-requirements/) requesting information following complaints about the package’s rapid development, allegedly bypassing required public consultations and impact assessments.
Under the new Call for Evidence, the Commission is assessing areas for the new omnibus package to reduce administrative burdens, including legislation related to the circular economy, industrial emissions, and waste management. Specifically, the Commission considers rationalising reporting obligations under the [Waste Framework Directive](https://www.esgtoday.com/eu-lawmakers-agree-to-new-rules-requiring-fashion-brands-to-pay-to-recycle-clothes/) and harmonising rules under the directive’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements. Additional measures may involve streamlining reporting obligations and addressing permitting challenges related to environmental assessments.
The planned policy measures aim to decrease costs for companies regarding reporting, monitoring, notifying, and auditing, among other administrative burdens. The Commission emphasises that these measures will be devised to reduce administrative burdens without compromising the environmental objectives of the concerned legislation.
The Commission intends to adopt the new proposals in the fourth quarter of 2025. It stated, “Reducing the administrative burden of environmental laws will help make them more effective and ensure better environmental protection in the long run.”
