The European Commission's 2025 draft work programme has been leaked, offering a first look at the EU’s upcoming legislative agenda.
The programme, due to be officially unveiled and presented to MEPs in Strasbourg next week, lists this year’s new proposals, pending files and planned withdrawals. The draft could be subject to potential changes before the final version is adopted.
The document lists 46 initiatives, including 24 legislative changes and 22 non-legislative proposals. It also reveals a total of 120 pending files, alongside 31 proposals that will undergo evaluations and fitness checks.
The 2025 work programme also foresees the repeal of outdated rules in agriculture, statistics, and transport. But the chapter on the commission's planned withdrawals remains to be completed.
The new proposals of the commission prioritise those categorised as competitiveness (10 initiatives), simplification (8 initiatives) and security (6), followed by innovation, preparedness & resilience, and social fairness (each 4).
Key simplification proposals include three omnibus packages planned for 2025: the first, focusing on sustainability requirements, is expected to be unveiled on 26 February, followed by two more in the second quarter, on small and medium-sized enterprises and on investment rules.
The first omnibus aims to amend the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the EU Taxonomy Regulation.
But potential simplification risks turning into deregulation. And plans to re-open agreed legislative texts prompted criticism from some companies, researchers, and civil society organisations.
Alongside the first omnibus proposal, the Clean Industrial Deal aimed at increasing investment in infrastructure, particularly energy-intensive sectors, is also expected on 26 February.
There is a strong alignment between president Ursula von der Leyen's own centre-right European People's Party (EPP) priorities and the commission’s work programme.
Under pressure to tighten migration rules — including external return hubs — the EU Commission is set to unveil a new common approach to returns on 11 March. A broader European Migration and Asylum Strategy will follow later in the year (Q4).
Likewise, a ‘pact for the Mediterranean’ aimed at cooperating with non-EU countries on migration is set to be unveiled in Q3 this year.
Other simplification initiatives include the European Business Wallet (Q4 2025) for digital document management, a chemical regulation REACH revision (Q4 2025) to ease procedures, and a Common Agricultural Policy simplification package (Q2 2025) to reduce paperwork for farmers.
Additionally, the revision of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (Q3 2025) aims to simplify reporting, while the Cybersecurity Act review is scheduled for Q4 2025.
Building on the proposal for a defence of democracy package to address foreign interference, the commission is also expected to put forward a European Democracy Shield (non-legislative) in the second quarter.
Discussions on the next EU budget have already started. But the proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the long-term European budget for 2028–2034, is only expected to be published during the third quarter, likely in July or September.
The Single Market Strategy is set to be rolled out in early 2025 — in a bid to respond to Enrico Letta’s report and enhance the EU’s competitiveness.
The amendment of the Climate Law to include the 2040 emission reduction target is expected for the second quarter.
The Digital Networks Act will be unveiled at the end of the year. The proposal, which focuses on telecoms regulation, will also try to address the €200bn shortfall the EU is facing in network investment.
The Critical Medicines Act, aimed to tackle shortages of essential medicines, is expected to be published on 11 March, while the European Biotech Act will be presented towards the end of the year.
Meanwhile, an action plan for affordable energy is expected by the end of February, followed by a roadmap to end Russian energy imports by the end of March. The EU still imports about 15 percent of gas (both pipeline gas and liquified natural gas) from Russia.
Notably, some proposals are missing, especially for the transport sector. For the automobile industry, there is no sign of an industrial action plan, which was scheduled for 5 March, nor a proposal on the greening of company fleets, as set in the mission letter of transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
The industrial maritime strategy and high-speed rail plan are also missing.