Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This report assesses the state of monitoring, implementation and enforcement of EU law, based on the Commission’s 2023 annual report on monitoring the application of EU law, the Commissioners’ 2025 Annual Progress Reports on Simplification, Implementation and Enforcement, and other relevant documents and reports. It highlights that the effectiveness of EU legislation depends on its timely, complete and accurate transposition and proper application within national legal orders. The report welcomes the Commission’s 2023 annual report on monitoring the application of EU law as a crucial tool enabling scrutiny of the correct transposition and implementation of EU law. It regrets, however, that the Commission decided not to publish a report for 2024, thereby breaking a practice of over forty years established since 1983. Monitoring the application of Union law is an integral part of the Commission’s role as guardian of the Treaties and allows Parliament to exercise its supervisory role adequately. The rapporteur therefore stresses the need for regular and comprehensive reporting. The report welcomes the Commissioners’ 2025 Annual Progress Reports as a valuable source of information but notes that the analysis remains overly focused on achievements, with insufficient attention to persistent challenges and systemic enforcement gaps. It also notes with concern the absence of reference to the EU Pilot procedure, its functioning and its role in facilitating early problem-solving prior to the launch of formal infringement proceedings. The report expresses concern over the Commission’s reluctance to initiate infringement proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union, even in cases involving clear and persistent breaches. It calls on the Commission to adopt and publish transparent and objective criteria for the selection and prioritisation of infringement cases and to shorten and streamline the pre-litigation phase, which currently leads to significant delays in enforcement. The report notes with concern the limitations of the new Europa implementation portal, which lacks essential content and analysis and makes it difficult to draw comparisons and conclusions. It also notes the challenges in the implementation of regulations, particularly regarding completeness, accessibility and consistency of data, and calls on the Commission to report on how its monitoring activities are adapted to these developments. The report reiterates that simplification of EU law must not be conflated with deregulation. Streamlining legal texts and procedures should improve clarity, legal certainty and administrative efficiency while preserving essential policy objectives and protections in areas such as the environment, social rights, consumer safety and fundamental rights. The rapporteur stresses the importance of coherence across legislative instruments to avoid duplication and contradictions that hinder effective implementation. Finally, the report emphasises that the proper, timely and uniform implementation and enforcement of Union law are indispensable for ensuring equal treatment of citizens and businesses, maintaining the integrity of the single market and upholding the rule of law.