The EU Commission uses the work programme to provide information once a year about its plans for the coming calendar year. In addition to new initiatives, it also contains proposals that are being withdrawn and EU legislation that is to be reviewed. For the coming year, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirms the strategic priorities of this mandate: "We will continue working closely with the European Parliament and the Council to deliver on Europe's priorities, to boost competitiveness, harness the power of our Single Market, simplify our rules and address the affordability crisis. Together, we will protect our citizens and uphold our values."

Contributions of individual policy areas to strengthening sovereignty and independence

Most of the new initiatives are grouped under the heading "A new plan for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness". This covers policy areas that are intended to strengthen the European economy and drive forward the integration of the internal market. Key projects include long-awaited legislative proposals such as the Industrial Accelerator Act (originally the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act), the Circular Economy Act, the Public Procurement Act, the establishment of a Critical Raw Materials Centre, and the creation of a so-called 28th regime for companies. It also contains the electrification action plan, including heating and cooling, as well as an update on the governance of the Energy Union and European climate policy.

It can be considered positive that the Commission's work programme includes a heading on ‘Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model’, which also contains several legislative acts. Under this heading the Quality Jobs Act and a fair labour mobility package have been announced. This package aims to strengthen the European Labour Authority (ELA) and introduce ESSPASS, the European Social Security Pass. A new initiative on short-term rentals, an anti-poverty strategy, a strategy on intergenerational fairness and improvements to the child guarantee are also planned.

Under the heading "Sustaining our quality of life – food security, water and nature", the focus in 2026 will be on agriculture (livestock strategy including elements on animal welfare, update of rules on unfair trading practices in the food chain) and the protection of the oceans. In defence and security policy, the central project "Readiness 2030" will be pushed forward. In addition, progress is to be made in the fight against organised crime and in the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum. Under the title “Protecting our democracy, upholding our values”, the Commission will present the Digital Fairness Act and the new Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030. Finally, under the heading "A global Europe – Leveraging our power and partnerships", the agenda includes a Middle East strategy and the reform of humanitarian aid.

Simplification remains a key issue

"With the 2026 Commission work programme adopted today, we are launching the next wave of simplification — building a culture that values results over bureaucracy, and efficiency over complexity" explained Valdis Dombrovskis, the Commissioner responsible for simplification, when presenting the work programme. While the new work programme was presented alongside a new overview report on simplification measures, which is intended to highlight the progress achieved by the previous omnibus packages, the further packages for revising regulations in areas such as the environment, food and feed safety, automotive, taxation, energy products and medical devices, many of which are already well known, have been reconfirmed. Here, too, great care must be taken to ensure that important social and environmental standards are not dismantled under the guise of simplification.

An initial critical assessment

In a press release, the European Trade Union Confederation welcomes the priority given to high-quality jobs in the European Commission's work programme. The proposed Quality Jobs Act offers an opportunity to combat precarious working conditions, strengthen collective bargaining and ensure that the digital and ecological transition benefits workers. However, it also notes that the long-awaited proposal for a directive on the right to disconnect must be presented this year. It is also crucial that these positive developments are not undermined by other initiatives such as those relating to the 28th regime.

In this context, Patrick ten Brink, Secretary General of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), also points out: "The science could not be clearer. Europe is breaching multiple planetary boundaries, and the costs of inaction are mounting. Yet instead of pursuing a smart implementation strategy of urgently needed environmental laws, the Commission continues to chase a false promise of ‘simplification’, deregulation, and blunt withdrawals." Much will therefore depend on the balance between ambitious new proposals and the simplification agenda.


Further information:

EU Commission: 2026 Commission work programme - digital publication
AK EUROPA: State of the Union 2025: Focus on security, defence and competitiveness
AK EUROPA: The EU Commission's work programme for 2025. Where are the workers?
AK EUROPA: Political Guidelines for the next EU Commission 2024 - 2029. The right answers to current challenges?
AK EUROPA: Strategic Agenda 2024-2029. Imbalanced priorities
ETUC: 2026 test year for Commission as Work Programme paves way for action for quality jobs
EEB: Commission’s 2026 Work Programme: Europe cannot deregulate its way out of crisis