Today, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action launched a consultation on bureaucratic barriers at EU level in the field of the ecological transformation. Associations, organisations, companies and interested citizens are invited to answer an online questionnaire (via this link until 3 July 2023) to point out existing or missing EU rules that result in bureaucratic barriers and unnecessarily prevent measures or investment in the field of the ecological transformation.

State Secretary Sven Giegold said: "We now need to consistently address the removal of bureaucratic barriers for the ecological transformation at EU level to speed up the green transition. In the context of the consultation, we want to identify barriers in EU law and, in a next step, press for regulatory improvements. I invite all parties concerned to tell us where the ecological transformation is currently being slowed down unnecessarily due to bureaucratic barriers."

The focus of the consultation is on areas that are particularly important for the ecological transformation: renewable energy, recycling and the circular economy, a climate-neutral economy, the hydrogen economy, low-emission mobility, energy-efficient buildings, and investment in the future and in the climate.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is very interested in strengthening better regulation and the reduction of bureaucracy at EU level, in general and in particular in the field of the ecological transformation. An effective and innovation-friendly EU regulatory framework that is fit for the future is very important for the long-term competitiveness of the European economy.

The reduction of the bureaucratic burden on companies – especially on small and medium-sized enterprises – is a key objective of the Economic Affairs Ministry. At national level, the new approach of 'practicability checks' – e.g. in the field of photovoltaics – has already proved its worth when it comes to identifying bureaucratic barriers and addressing them in legislative terms. Reducing bureaucracy and accelerating procedures for the transformation are also part of the action plan entitled "SMEs, climate action and transformation" which the Economic Affairs Ministry has elaborated together with the associations concerned and presented in December 2022.

More information about the consultation on bureaucratic barriers at EU level in the field of the ecological transformation (in German) can be found here.