On 11 February 2025, the European Commission published its work programme for 2025. This is the first Work Programme of the new European Commission’s mandate which began late last year. The European Commission continues under the leadership of the President Ursula von der Leyen for a second term.
The purpose of the Work Programme is to set out the Commission’s policy and legislative plans for the coming year including new proposals and the continuation of previous initiatives.
This blog sets out the key policy and legislative priorities identified by the European Commission in the Work Programme.
The context for the new Work Programme
The European Union faces a number of challenges which have continued over from the previous European Commission’s mandate. The Work Programme sets out the nature of these challenges:
“This work programme comes against a backdrop shaped by a range of interrelated challenges. The competitiveness of the European economy needs to be reinforced in the face of increased economic competition and threat to the rules-based order. With European businesses today facing challenges such as unfair competition, high energy costs, labour and skills shortages and obstacles to accessing capital, and to achieving Europe’s long-term goal to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, we need to remove structural brakes on the EU’s competitiveness. Businesses and citizens are also asking for rules that are simpler to follow and action which enables change to happen faster.
Geopolitical instability and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine have significantly reshaped Europe’s security landscape. Illegal migration continues to be an issue that raises concerns, with people needing to trust that their governments and institutions effectively manage the situation, while acknowledging the need to address skills shortages also through labour migration. Climate change is having a clear and increasingly severe impact on the daily lives of citizens and businesses across Europe, as highlighted by the numerous extreme weather events our continent has suffered from in recent years. Our societies need to be strengthened and our quality of life continuously sustained – from our food and energy security to our natural environment. The core values on which our Union is founded, including our democracy, are under attack, with clear evidence of campaigns of foreign interference.”
Given the geopolitical environment and challenges faced, the Commission outlines the need for collective EU action rather than by each Member State individually.
The focus of the Work Programme
The focus of the work programme is on three issues:
- Boosting competitiveness,
- enhancing security, and
- bolstering economic resilience.
According to the Commission’s news release accompanying the work programme:
“The work programme focuses on the flagship initiatives the Commission will take in the first year of its mandate, responding to the issues that matter most to Europeans. It reflects the need for more opportunities, innovation, and growth for our citizens and businesses, ultimately fostering a more secure and prosperous EU.”
The identified priorities in the work programme
The Commission’s proposed legislative programme is framed around seven priorities which sit below the three issues highlighted above. These priority policy areas are listed below alongside some of the specific Commission proposals within each policy area.
Sustainable Prosperity and Competitiveness
- A proposal for a new Single Market strategy which will set out a “horizontal strategy for a modernised single market”.
- Provisions to support EU business start-ups and scale-ups “including around access to finance and infrastructure, entering new markets, obtaining data and attracting the necessary talent.
- A proposal for a Clean Industrial Deal which will outline the EU’s “urgent, short-term strategies to support and create optimal conditions for industry to regain competitiveness while decarbonising”. The aim of the Clean Industrial Deal will be to help Europe achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal, “while improving access to affordable energy, creating lead markets and boosting demand and supply of circular materials, products and services, as well as strengthening economic security”.
- Alongside the Clean Industrial Deal, the proposed 90% emission-reduction target for 2040 will be enshrined in a European Climate Law. In addition, ahead of the COP30 meeting in Belem, Brazil in November 2025, the Commission will set out the EU’s global climate and energy vision.
- A roadmap towards ending Russian energy imports to further reduce the EU dependency and entirely phase out all Russian energy imports.
- A revision of the EU’s rules on chemicals (REACH).
- A Commission proposal for a Sustainable Transport Investment Plan which will provide “a strategic framework for supporting sustainable transport fuels production and distribution”. The Plan will include “measures to support the accelerated roll-out of recharging and refuelling infrastructure and dedicated green trade and investment partnerships with third countries on renewable and low-carbon transport fuels”.
- Proposals to ensure the EU continues to “maintain a leading global position” on AI.
Defence and Security
- Recognising recent geopolitical events, the Work Programme proposes closer cooperation amongst EU member states on defence issues through an EU Defence Union along with greater cooperation with NATO.
- To inform the EU’s actions in this area, the Commission will produce a White Paper on the Future of European Defence.
- The Commission will also present proposals for a European Internal Security Strategy and propose actions to better protect the EU’s undersea infrastructure, notably telecommunications cables.
- On asylum and migration issues, the Commission will intensify efforts to implement the Pact on Migration and Asylum and produce a European Migration and Asylum Strategy.
Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model
- A priority for the Commission will be to “strengthen social fairness” focussed on the EU’s social model.
- A key component to achieve social fairness will be the production of a new action plan on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
- The Commission will also promote a Union of Skills to “tackle skills and labour gaps, ensuring that our businesses have access to the skilled workforce necessary to propel their productivity and competitiveness”.
- To support consumer rights, the Commission will ensure that the next Consumer Agenda 2025-2030 will include a new action plan on consumers in the single market “ensuring a balanced approach that protects consumers without overburdening companies with red tape”.
Sustaining European’s quality of life – farming, food security, water and nature
- To support the EU’s agriculture industry, the Commission will propose a Vision for Agriculture and Food which will “ensure a stable framework for farmers and outline a roadmap for key strategic proposals”.
Protecting democracy and upholding values
- The Commission Work Programme cites the importance of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights as the foundations on which the EU is based. To uphold these values, the Commission states it:
“will deepen and intensify its work to face the challenges to our democratic system, upholding the rule of law in all Member States and building an inclusive society allowing everyone to reach their full potential. In this respect, the Commission will continue its engagement with Member States on the rule of law and further develop the annual rule of law monitoring report to include single market aspects.”
- The Commission will develop proposals for a Democracy Shield to “seek to tackle the evolving nature of threats to our democracy and electoral processes”.
- In the area of gender equality, the Commission will develop a Roadmap for Women’s Rights.
- The Commission will also present new strategies on LGBTIQ and anti-racism.
A global Europe: leveraging our power and partnerships
- Given the current geopolitical situation and with the rules-based international order increasingly under pressure, the Commission Work Programme states that “the EU needs to be more assertive in pursuing its strategic interests”.
- Areas cited in the Work Programme where the EU needs to be more assertive include the Middle East, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the development of a new EU-India Strategic Agenda.
Delivering together and preparing our Union for the future
- The key priority for the Commission under this policy area will be to present a new EU Long Term Budget (Multiannual Financial Framework). The current framework runs to the end of 2027 so the proposals for the next budget will be at an early stage.
- On potential EU enlargement, the Work Programme states the Commission will continue to assess the consequences and impacts on all EU policies.
Simplification and legislation
A key element of the work programme is the European Commission’s simplification agenda which it hopes will “make EU policies and laws work better and faster to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness”. Given this focus, a number of the Commission’s proposed new initiatives are what it calls “Omnibus packages” which seek to bring a number of pieces of legislation into one simplified legislative instrument. The work programme proposes three new omnibus packages on:
- Sustainability,
- investment simplification, and
- reduced paperwork for SMEs.
The Commission has also proposed further simplification packages for the Common Agricultural Policy and other issues affecting farmers, digital matters, industrial carbonisation and a revision of the REACH chemicals legislation. Little information is provided about the detail of the different simplification packages at this stage.
In addition to the simplification agenda, the Work Programme also highlights the need for “effective implementation of EU laws and policies” and the need to avoid gold plating (when domestic implementing legislation goes further than EU law requires).
Finally, there are a number of legislative proposals which have carried over from the previous Commission mandate. Having reviewed these, the Commission stated that it intends to withdraw 37 proposals which are detailed in Annex IV to the Work Programme. A raft of proposals which might still progress are listed at Annex III.
The Annexes to the Work Programme contain the legislative details whilst, as detailed above, the Work Programme document provides a commentary on the Commission’s priorities and proposals.
Why does this matter to the Scottish Parliament?
The UK’s relationship with the EU (set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement) and the Scottish Government’s policy commitment to align with EU law where appropriate means it is important that the Scottish Parliament is aware of developments in EU law particularly in devolved policy areas.
The evolution of EU law remains of interest in the UK, not least because producers of goods who wish to sell into the EU market need to ensure those goods continue to meet EU standards. In addition, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement includes level playing field commitments which means knowledge of the development of EU law after EU-exit continues to be important.
The Scottish Government’s commitment to EU alignment also means it is important that the Parliament is aware of EU legislative and policy developments. In addition to maintaining awareness of the Commission Work Programme, the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee commissioned an EU law tracker. The most recent tracker, produced by Dr Lisa Whitten from Queen’s University Belfast was published by the Parliament’s Constitution, European, External Affairs and Culture Committee on 20 February 2025.
Whilst the policy and legislative proposals set out in the Work Programme are high level and short on detail at this stage, maintaining awareness of EU developments will continue to be important for Members and Committees in the Scottish Parliament as they consider both the development of UK-EU relations and the Scottish Government’s policy commitment to EU alignment.
Iain McIver, SPICe Research