EU Watchdog Urges Commission on Insufficient Procedures in Initiating Omnibus Plan to Amend Eco-Friendly Rules
The European Union's Ombudsman, Teresa Anjinho, has raised concerns over the European Commission's approach to launching its Omnibus initiative for corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements. In a letter addressed to the Commission, Anjinho expressed worry about the limited stakeholder participation in the February 2025 meetings and the omission of key procedural safeguards such as impact assessments and public consultations [1].
The Ombudsman's letter, available for public viewing via the provided link, questions the Commission's rationale for not conducting a climate consistency assessment for the Omnibus proposal, as no analysis to support this conclusion was included in the explanatory memorandum or staff working document [2]. The Commission's justification of the "critical urgency" of the proposal was not deemed sufficient by the Ombudsman, who argued that the Commission did not adequately justify derogating from its rules in this case [3].
The Commission's Omnibus I package, released in late February 2025, aims to simplify and reduce the administrative burden on companies by streamlining and scaling back the scope and complexity of existing sustainability reporting mandates, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), to focus on larger companies with more than 1,000 employees [2][3]. This approach addresses concerns about overburdening businesses with extensive reporting obligations while continuing to advance the EU Green Deal's sustainability objectives.
The Ombudsman's letter requests clarification on the expedited internal consultation process for the Omnibus proposal, noting that the Commission only allowed 24 hours for the internal consultation, which was launched on a Friday evening and ended on a Saturday evening [4]. The letter also questions the Commission's decision to forego a public consultation on the Omnibus proposal, citing that only industry and business interests were involved in the February meetings [5].
The package proposes significant changes to several regulations, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Taxonomy Regulation, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) [6]. Among the changes proposed in the package, the majority of companies would be removed from the scope of the CSRD regulation, and the amount of reported information required by the regulation would be substantially reduced [7].
The Ombudsman's letter does not address the specific changes proposed in the Omnibus package, focusing instead on procedural issues such as public consultation, climate consistency assessment, and internal consultation timelines. The letter sets a deadline of September 15 for the Commission's response, stating that an extension will not be granted due to the importance of the inquiry and the Commission's plans for additional "Omnibus" proposals [8].
The Ombudsman's inquiry into the Omnibus proposal was launched in May following complaints about the Commission's alleged non-compliance with its "Better Regulation Guidelines." The letter does not provide details on the specific stakeholders that were excluded from the February 2025 meetings [9].
References: [1] European Ombudsman. (2025). Letter to the European Commission on the Omnibus proposal. Retrieved from [link] [2] European Commission. (2025). Press release: Commission presents its Omnibus I package for corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements. Retrieved from [link] [3] European Ombudsman. (2025). Press release: Ombudsman launches inquiry into the Commission's Omnibus proposal. Retrieved from [link] [4] European Ombudsman. (2025). Letter to the European Commission on the Omnibus proposal. Retrieved from [link] [5] European Ombudsman. (2025). Letter to the European Commission on the Omnibus proposal. Retrieved from [link] [6] European Commission. (2025). Factsheet: The Omnibus I package for corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements. Retrieved from [link] [7] European Commission. (2025). Press release: Commission presents its Omnibus I package for corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements. Retrieved from [link] [8] European Ombudsman. (2025). Letter to the European Commission on the Omnibus proposal. Retrieved from [link] [9] European Ombudsman. (2025). Letter to the European Commission on the Omnibus proposal. Retrieved from [link]
- The European Union's Ombudsman, Teresa Anjinho, has expressed concerns about the European Commission's approach to the Omnibus initiative for corporate sustainability reporting, particularly the limited stakeholder participation in the February 2025 meetings and the omission of key procedural safeguards such as impact assessments and public consultations.
- The Commission's justification for not conducting a climate consistency assessment for the Omnibus proposal was questioned by the Ombudsman, who argued that the Commission did not adequately justify derogating from its rules in this case.
- The Ombudsman's letter requested clarification on the expedited internal consultation process for the Omnibus proposal, noting that only industry and business interests were involved in the February meetings, with a consultation timeline of 24 hours.
- The Ombudsman's inquiry into the Omnibus proposal was launched in May following complaints about the Commission's alleged non-compliance with its "Better Regulation Guidelines," but the letter does not provide details on the specific stakeholders that were excluded from the February 2025 meetings.
