More than buzzwords—the true impact of ‘simplifying’ the Green Deal

While the European Parliament is expected to approve the Commission later this week, the Commissioner confirmation hearings have exposed deep divisions, with political polarisation overshadowing Europe’s climate and nature commitments. And as calls for “simplification” and “competitiveness” echo across policy discussions, von der Leyen’s flagship initiative—the Green Deal—is becoming their first casualty.

We saw clear hints of this new narrative taking over the Commission last week, as Christophe Hansen, Dan J?rgensen, Jessika Roswall and Maria Luís Albuquerque all emphasised the need for “simplification” of existing laws and “burden reduction” during their respective hearings. Commissioner Dombrovskis, responsible for 'implementation and simplification,' assured that "simplification does not mean deregulation," but this commitment risks ringing hollow if their own President continues to sacrifice Green Deal legislation.

Words carry weight. Framing deregulation as “simplification” in the name of competitiveness makes it easier to chip away at hard-won protections, all under the guise of progress. While this language has slowly shaped the conversation in Brussels over the past year, propelled by the Antwerp Declaration, it now has tangible and troubling implications: the Green Deal is under attack, and with it, the protections that keep nature, people and the economy safe.

Believing that simplification in the current politically conservative landscape can occur without eroding past progress is, at best, naive—and at worst, dangerous. While presented as a move towards efficiency, in practice, “simplification” has a history of dismantling essential protections. Just look at April’s agricultural policy reform, which cut back on critical environmental standards, the recent proposals to delay and weaken the EU Deforestation Regulation, and even the announcement of an omnibus which will affect? corporate sustainability laws such as the CSRD, CSDDD and the EU taxonomy. These examples reveal an unsettling reality—Europe is moving backwards.

The stakes are high. Stripping away protections not only threatens Europe’s ability to reach its climate and biodiversity goals but would also deepen our vulnerability to the increasingly severe impacts of these dual crises. In the last decade, the toll from climate impacts alone has cost the EU €260 billion. Continuing to weaken environmental laws would only intensify devastating floods, droughts, pollution, and public health crises, exacerbating these financial costs and the human toll that Europeans would be left to bear. On the other hand, the effective implementation of existing environmental laws could save the EU economy at least €55 billion annually in health and environmental costs.

This month, over 60 major companies—including H&M, IKEA, Nestlé, and Patagonia—urged the Commission to support businesses in meeting, rather than diluting, environmental standards. On the same day, over 180 civil society organisations echoed this call. Although coming from vastly different sectors, both voices are raising the same alarm. Ignoring them would be a profound misstep, undermining the very values Europe has championed on the global stage. When both business and civil society align to protect the Green Deal, the Commission would do well to listen.

Yes, implementing the Green Deal is a monumental challenge. And yes, businesses, stakeholders, and public administrations need robust support to meet it. To succeed, the EU must adopt a “Smart Implementation Programme” that prioritises the modernisation of EU and national administrations through digitalisation and capacity building, boosts green investments, focuses on consistent enforcement, and facilitates access to affordable renewable energy for businesses. Smart implementation, not deregulation, is the way forward.

Rather than clinging to buzzwords, President von der Leyen’s new Commission must build on the progress of the past five years and uphold the EU’s commitments to climate and biodiversity. The divisions laid bare in recent debates must not derail these efforts. Nature, people and businesses deserve to see these promises through. We had a Deal.