SUMMARY

• On 5 October, Commissioner Jessika Roswall published the second annual report of her mandate, covering progress on the simplification, implementation and enforcement of EU environmental legislation between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2026. Members can find the text below.
• The report highlights the Commission’s continued focus on reducing unnecessary administrative burden and improving implementation and enforcement of existing environmental rules. Of particular relevance for FESI, the report points to the forthcoming Circular Economy Act, currently scheduled for 11 November, as a key vehicle for further simplification.

MORE INFORMATION

• On simplification, the report highlights the Environmental Omnibus and measures related to the EUDR, which together are expected to generate around EUR 7 billion in annual administrative and compliance cost savings. It also refers to the Chemicals Omnibus and ongoing evaluations and stress-testing of environmental legislation.
• On implementation, the Commission continued supporting Member States through guidance, expert groups, technical workshops and capacity-building across areas including waste, packaging, water, industrial emissions and nature protection.
• On enforcement, the Commission handled 348 active environmental infringement cases during the reporting period. Priority areas included waste and recycling targets, illegal and substandard landfills, air quality, water and wastewater treatment, nature protection and industrial emissions.

The report also underlines that implementation gaps remain costly for the EU economy, reinforcing the Commission’s focus on better enforcement, investment and more coherent implementation across Member States.

NEXT STEPS

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FESI will continue monitoring the Commission’s simplification and enforcement agenda, particularly where it relates to EPR harmonisation, secondary raw material markets, waste legislation and the forthcoming Circular Economy Act.

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