Leading the Charge: Trade Associations and the EU’s Simplification Strategy

This article delves into how trade associations should start preparing now to engage with the European Commission’s ambitious simplification agenda, because they are best placed to make an impact considering the novelty and expected complexity of the exercise.

The Commission’s simplification initiatives and the so called “omnibus” proposals aim to reduce red tape by 25% for businesses and 35% for SMEs, leading to significant cost savings and enhanced competitiveness. The agenda is ambitious, and institutions are bracing for impact.

The agenda is ambitious, and institutions are bracing for impact.

The Council has begun well by creating a new working group on simplification to steer these proposals through the EU decision-making procedure as a matter of priority. The Parliament is responding swiftly agreeing to speed things up using the urgent procedure. The Commission will not stop there and Commissioner for Environment Jessika Roswall has announced a plan to cut secondary laws (delegated and implementing acts) by a third.

There’s a sense of urgency. But how is it actually going to happen? Despite the efforts from the institutions-side, this can only work with co-operation of the business community, and that means trade associations. How can they prepare themselves? And more importantly how can they influence the Commission’s agenda?

One thing is very clear: they should be wary of addressing this opportunity as yet another legislative exercise, because it is not. It is much more complex than that.

A plea for trade associations to take the lead

The simplification agenda has been greeted with a plethora of welcoming messages, support statements, and descriptions of how of a bright future lies ahead of us thanks to the simplification initiatives. Then reality hit, things started moving and organisations were neither ready to provide EU institutions with actionable and consolidated feedback, nor able to show alignment on an initiative that is supposed to have a positive impact.

Trade associations, the collective voice of their industries, are necessarily at the forefront of this exercise. EU Institutions will seek and favour input from industries at large, but these need first to consult their members to aggregate and articulate their concerns, ensuring the relevance of the outcome. An exercise of this size would require a gigantic effort to gather data and members’ opinions. However, if there’s something you learn by working with trade associations it is that time is never on their side, and it is never possible to play out the perfect scenario.

However, if there’s something you learn by working with trade associations it is that time is never on their side, and it is never possible to play out the perfect scenario.

Fortunately, we know this is barely the beginning and the organisations that prepare now will be more successful in bringing the benefits of the simplification to their sectors:

• Start now: Even if your sector isn’t immediately affected by a simplification exercise or an ‘omnibus’ proposal, these changes could arrive sooner than expected. Warn your members, seek their input, and make it a priority.
• Do not feed the noise: Don’t waste your time pushing for general statements. The ship has sailed when it comes to arguments about the big picture of simplification. Dedicate your time to identifying specific asks that align with the spirit of the Commission’s exercise, and that enhance the positives for your sector while minimising the negatives.
• Feed your asks into your policy objectives and strategic communications: Make this part of your objectives for the mandate. Use it as a lever for other initiatives.
• Be pragmatic and business-oriented: Simplification does not mean that laws will be completely rewritten so be pragmatic, focus on the basics always keeping in mind potential trade-offs between business impact, harmonization measures and implementation costs.
• Keep flexible to adapt to the process: EU institutions are shaping the process while we are still at the initial stages of the simplification quest. Do not shy away from giving your opinion on the process and being ready to adapt along the way to achieve the best results.

By following these steps, trade associations can position themselves as key players in the simplification agenda, leveraging consistent and strategic communication to respond swiftly to institutional developments.

What if my organisation has never engaged with the EU Institutions before?

For organisations that are not necessarily “Brussels-savvy” this process likely looks like a daunting task. However, the absence of a clear rulebook and familiarity with the inner makings of the EU should not be an impediment for engaging in what it will be one of the most important initiatives during the current legislative mandate, which promises to have decade-long effects. And what’s set in Brussels, spills over and affects other regulatory regimes globally – make sure you are a part of the conversation and your voice is not only heard but also acted upon.

Leidar’s role in supporting your advocacy

Leidar, a leader in interim communications and public affairs support, has a strong track record guiding trade associations’ efforts in Brussels and beyond, and offers tailored solutions to keep your advocacy strong, even in the face of the EU’s dynamic and challenging decision-making landscape. If your organisation is looking to step up in its advocacy or experiencing unexpected gaps in public affairs coverage, whether due to leave, budget, or leadership transitions, we will be happy to step in. Please contact us for a preliminary discussion using the form below.