Omnibus packages: fast track procedure for reforms

Since February 2025, the European Commission has been pursuing the goal of strengthening the European Union’s competitiveness with a series of what are termed “omnibus packages”. Omnibus packages are part of a comprehensive strategy to promote growth, innovation and investment in the EU.

An omnibus package is a package of legislative proposals by which a number of existing acts can be revised at the same time. Unlike in the revision of individual acts, amendments are made to particular points, grouped by topic and presented for consideration together. The legislative packages serve as an instrument for implementing political priorities. They contain normal EU acts, i.e. regulations and directives, which are presented to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union as part of the ordinary legislative procedure. However, due to the common political will, they are to be dealt with more quickly. Since February, the European Commission has already presented seven omnibus packages (see figure), and many more are planned.

The goals the European Commission is pursuing with its omnibus packages are ambitious: by simplifying regulations, it aims to relieve companies of disproportionate reporting obligations and to reduce administrative costs to companies by 25 % – for SMEs by 35 % – by 2030. This equates to potential savings of € 37.5 billion. The measures focus on sustainability, agriculture, defence and digitalisation. The packages are therefore a tool not only for reducing bureaucracy, but also for implementing the EU’s strategic goals for the future.

Relevance for KAN: Omnibus Package IV

Omnibus Package IV, published on 21 May 2025, is relevant to KAN’s work. It contains a number of legislative proposals, formulating measures for simplification and relief that are intended to create growth incentives for SMEs and digitalise processes.

The proposals for a regulation and a directive concerning digitalisation and the instrument of common specifications are of particular relevance for KAN. These are intended to extend the European Commission’s power to adopt common specifications to include further Single Market acts.

Common specifications are European implementing acts that are intended to serve as an alternative to harmonised standards in the event that, despite standardisation mandates having been issued, the European standards organisations CEN, CENELEC and ETSI fail to deliver harmonised standards, or deliver standards that are deemed inadequate. In such cases, the European Commission sees a need to offer companies legal certainty through common specifications.

KAN examined this instrument critically in a position paper in October 2024. In August 2025, KAN also submitted a comment on the current legislative proposals in which it advocates in particular for the following points:

Priority of harmonised European standards: The instrument of common specifications should come into consideration only as a “fall back solution”. The European standardisation system and the development of harmonised standards should always take precedence. The principles enshrined in the standardisation system, such as transparent procedures, the participation of all affected stakeholders and the development of standards by consensus, are indispensable.

Narrowly defined conditions for adoption: KAN criticises the expansion of common specifications’ scope of application, in particular the possibility of their being adopted in cases of “urgent concern” on the part of the Commission without clearly defined and verifiable criteria.

Transparent procedures and legally binding criteria: The procedure for developing common specifications is not yet adequately regulated. Processes must be clear, comprehensible and verifiable for the public, and legally binding.

Participation of all relevant stakeholders: KAN warns that common specifications threaten to undermine the standardisation system with its established principles and participation processes. It calls for systematic involvement of societal stakeholders.

Horizontal legal framework: Common specifications should be enshrined in an overarching act, for example in the course of revision of the Standardisation Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012. This is intended to avoid fragmentation and ensure uniformity.