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European Commission - Speech Keynote speech by Commissioner Dombrovskis at Schwarz Impulse Brussels, 29 September 2026 Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, Ich danke Ihnen für die Einladung zu der heutigen Veranstaltung. Ich freue mich sehr, im Kreise von Freunden zu sein und an der diesjährigen Ausgabe der „Schwarz Impulse“ teilzunehmen. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is a pleasure to be here, among friends, at th...
European Commission - Speech Keynote speech by Commissioner Dombrovskis at Schwarz Impulse Brussels, 29 September 2026 Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, Ich danke Ihnen für die Einladung zu der heutigen Veranstaltung. Ich freue mich sehr, im Kreise von Freunden zu sein und an der diesjährigen Ausgabe der „Schwarz Impulse“ teilzunehmen. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is a pleasure to be here, among friends, at the 2026 edition of Schwarz Impulse. Thank you for choosing such a hopeful theme for this year's event: Stronger Together: Partnerships for Europe's Success. At a time when so much seems to be pulling us apart, I want to talk tonight about what brings us together. About the value of partnership, of working together for the benefit of each other. Or, as you say so well in German: an einem Strang ziehen . My message today is simple. Stronger partnerships are crucial to building the more competitive European economy we so urgently need. Specifically, to deliver on our ambitious agenda to cut red tape. Tonight, I will share my reflections on three partnerships that are essential to this endeavour. Firstly, the partnership with those navigating our rules, to identify the actions needed to help unlock investment, innovation and growth. Secondly, the partnership with our co-legislators, to maintain the ambition and reach of our simplification agenda throughout the legislative process. And thirdly, the partnership with our Member States, to ensure our drive to cut red tape in Brussels is matched by determined action at national level. The first essential partnership is between the European Commission and those who navigate our rules every day. Because nobody knows better where our rules fall short, or what our proposals must fix, than the people who navigate them. That is why we have listened closely to businesses from day one in designing our simplification proposals. And that dialogue is not a one-off. It is built into the Commission's simplification strategy. Every Commissioner holds at least two implementation dialogues with stakeholders each year. And our services carry out regular reality checks with practitioners on the ground. These exchanges help us see what works, what needs to improve, and where good practice can be shared. This is how we turn your experience into meaningful simplification proposals. But partnership works both ways. To deliver for Europe's businesses, we need you to play your part too. You have a platform. You should use it to speak up, and make clear that the stakes could not be higher. That unnecessary rules must not stand in the way of what really matters. The jobs for our people. The growth for our economies. And the economic strength that protects Europe in an increasingly challenging and dangerous world. That brings me to our second partnership: with our co-legislators, the European Parliament and the Council. The Commission has now tabled twelve major Omnibus proposals, along with other simplification initiatives across a wide range of policy areas. Together, they could save European businesses at least €17 billion a year in net reduction of administrative costs. But proposals on their own won't help anyone. They only make a difference once they become law. That is where our co-legislators come in. We need them to treat these proposals with ambition and urgency. Because watered-down outcomes would be worse than no simplification at all. It would put businesses through all the upheaval of changing rules, without the relief they were promised. The Commission stands ready to support Parliament and Council every step of the way. And I am convinced that this partnership can deliver if everyone commits to playing their part. With goodwill on all sides, we can find the right balance and get real results for our businesses and citizens. The third essential partnership is with our Member States. Because simplification only works if Europe and its Member States pursue it together. That is why we have called for a Pact Against Gold-Plating. Too often, national rules go beyond what EU law requires, or diverge from one country to the next. The result is uneven conditions, a fragmented Single Market, higher compliance costs and weaker competitiveness. Last week saw some positive news in this regard. 17 Member States came together to commit to reduce bureaucracy and share best practice. They also committed to cracking down on gold-plating and disproportionate national requirements. And the Commission will be at their side in this effort, with a toolkit of best practices, to support Member States in detecting and preventing gold-plating. But our partnership cannot stop at rules linked to EU legislation. We need national and regional authorities working alongside us to look at their own rules and procedures too. Because at the end of the day, a business doesn't care whether a regulatory requirement comes from Brussels, Berlin or Stuttgart. It just wants to spend less time and energy on compliance and filling in forms. I am convinced that when rulemakers at European and national levels partner to reach the same objective, our efforts will reinforce each other, and the result will be far greater than the sum of its parts. Ladies and gentlemen, to conclude. The three partnerships that I have outlined are each essential to delivering a meaningful simplification agenda. Business gives us the insight. Our co-legislators turn proposals into law. And our Member States make sure the relief reaches the ground. That is an einem Strang ziehen in action. But pulling on the same rope only works if everyone pulls at the same time, and in the same direction. If we succeed in doing so, the rewards are there to be taken: businesses free to invest, innovate and grow, a Single Market that works as one, and a Europe that is more competitive, more resilient and more confident in its own future. Vielen Dank. Thank you. SPEECH/26/2013 <@rel_link@>
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