On 24 June 2026, the Council agreed its negotiating position on a proposal to simplify rules and procedures in the areas of industrial emissions, circular economy and geospatial data. The proposal forms part of the Omnibus VIII simplification package, which aims to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens while maintaining the EU’s high level of environmental protection (“Package”). The Council’s negotiating position on the Package is available at this link.

The Package includes targeted measures across several legislative acts, including rules related to environmental assessments, administrative burden reduction, INSPIRE and extended producer responsibility (“EPR“). However, due to strong reservations from a majority of Member States and the expected review of EPR frameworks under the circular economy act in autumn 2026, negotiations on two EPR-related proposals were discontinued.

The Council preserved the main direction of the Commission’s proposals while introducing targeted amendments. The proposed regulation would, among other things, amend the Batteries Regulation by reducing redundant reporting and simplifying requirements for the removability and replaceability of certain battery packs.

The Council’s position is intended to make environmental rules clearer, more proportionate and easier to apply for businesses and public authorities. At the same time, it aims to safeguard the EU’s environmental standards and support both competitiveness and sustainability.