- Client: DG Environment (ENV) (European Commission)
- Implementation period: June, 2024 - October, 2025 (Completed)
- Geographic coverage: European Union
- Theme: Environment, Environment Policy, Environmental Economics and Policies
- Topic: Climate Finance, Environmental economics & policies, EU Sustainable Finance, EU Taxonomy, Greening Financial Systems
- Experts: Maha Cziesielski, Cosima Dekker-Hufler, Rob Williams, Matthew Smith, Afrodit Adsal, Pavla Cihlarova
This study considers the administrative burdens for business and public authorities, and suggestions to reduce these burdens, associated with the legislation under the control of DG Environment. The project is part of the efforts of DG Environment associated with achieving the priorities set out in the Commission’s Competitiveness Compass, particularly the commitment to reduce the administrative burden and reporting obligations for business by at least 25% and at least 35% for SMEs, without undermining policy objectives. This study is partly a follow on to a Fitness Check on Monitoring and Reporting in environment policy published in 2018, which focused on simplifying and streamlining reporting obligations (RO) under the remit of the DG Environment. The Fitness Check informed the revision of several legislative acts, and amendments were adopted as an omnibus legislative act in 2019.
Summary of completed and ongoing stakeholder consultations:
Online Webinar on environmental reporting (13 February 2025)
The online Webinar took place on 13 February 2025 with 319 participants attending. The first study results were discussed and suggestions for simplification solicited. The presentations and the summary report can be found here:
Workshop 1_Summary report FINAL.pdf
Env reporting_Slides_Webinar 1.pdf
Second stakeholder webinar January 26th 2026
The second webinar presented the draft results. Below you can find the slides, the briefing paper, a report of the event, the event agenda and a recording of the webinar.
Workshop 2_Summary report – final.pdf
Webinar Evironmental Reporting Agenda 2026
Targeted Survey on reporting costs (24 February – 25 March 2025)
The survey was launched following the first webinar, during which the survey was announced, with the aim of collecting information on business and Member States reporting costs as well as ideas for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of reporting.
The reports on the survey can be found via the following weblinks. The consolidated summary of suggestions for simplification only encompasses those responses where owners have granted the right to publication.
Env_Reporting_Survey_Synposis_Report.pdf
Annex 1_Synopsis_Report Survey Questionnaire.pdf
Env_Reporting_Survey_ConsSummary.pdf
In addition, the European Commission launched a Call for Evidence Simplification of administrative burdens in environmental legislation to obtain further suggestions for simplifying administrative tasks within environmental legislation. This call for evidence (and other work) has resulted in the publication of a proposal in December 2025 on “Simplification of administrative burdens in environmental legislation”. The staff working document that accompanies this proposal includes a summary of the suggestions received via the call for evidence.
