Germany, Italy ask for an EU “emergency brake” to halt new laws
Germany and Italy are calling for “emergency brake” powers to stop new EU laws and want further simplification of regulation. Their letter comes days before an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels.
Germany and Italy, two European Union member states, are requesting “emergency brake” powers that would allow new EU laws to be stopped. The call appears in a letter sent days before a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. Its authors argue that excess regulation threatens European industry and competitiveness.
Push for simplification
“We call for further ambitious simplification packages to decisively advance the cutting of red tape in the European Union,” the letter says. It adds that the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, must ease the burden “first and foremost” on small and medium-sized businesses.
The letter also states that the shared objective should be to prevent unnecessary regulatory burdens and related costs from causing permanent losses of European industrial capacity and further weakening investment and competitiveness.
Background
The demands echo those first made in March, after a summit focused on European competitiveness. The letter arrives amid worsening signs for the bloc’s industrial sector.
EU leaders will gather in Brussels on Thursday for a two-day European Council summit. They are due to discuss the EU’s long-term budget, energy prices and support for Ukraine.
