On February 5-6, the European Builders Confederation EBC actively participated in the European Commission’s high-level event on simplifying sustainability reporting and administrative burdens, marking the launch of the Omnibus Simplification Package. This initiative, spearheaded by Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, aims to reduce reporting obligations for businesses by at least 25%, strengthening European industry competitiveness.
Having raised the issue of excessive administrative burdens for SMEs in the construction sector, EBC was particularly honoured that Michael Hager, Chief of Staff of Commissioner Dombrovskis, acknowledged EBC’s instrumental role in bringing this critical issue to the forefront. The EBC delegation was composed by EBC President Philip van Nieuwenhuizen, Belgian expert Nicolas van Renynghe from Bouwunie and EBC Senior Policy Officer Spyros Mathioudakis.
The two-day event, held in Brussels, gathered key stakeholders to address challenges related to the reporting burden generated by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and the EU Taxonomy. EBC engaged in discussions on how to prevent the so called “trickle-down” effect of large-company obligations onto SMEs, advocating for practical solutions such as the mandatory acceptance of the Voluntary SME Standard (VSME) through its inclusion in the CSRD, and leveraging existing registrations and databases such as those of existing certificates and qualifications as well as social balance, to avoid redundant reporting.
The need for a simpler EU Taxonomy that is easily accessible by construction SMEs and micro companies was also put forward by EBC representatives, noting that the current secondary material provisions are often perceived as overly ambitious. The fact that banks often do not see the added value of including in their portfolios the renovation of buildings that cannot reach A of B-level EPCs, should also be addressed.
In the second part of the event, the European Commission outlined a structured approach, including implementation roadmaps for new regulations and stakeholder dialogues to ease compliance. The event featured key sessions on paperless reporting for SMEs and Small Mid-Caps, where EBC emphasized the need for streamlined, digital-first solutions tailored to construction SMEs. EBC also noted the need to safeguard the current SME definition and to prevent any shift of the support and means currently dedicated to them to larger actors. Measures to simplify the reporting on the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) were also anticipated by the Commission.
This event marks only the beginning of a broader regulatory simplification agenda under the new European Commission. EBC remains committed to ensuring that construction SMEs and crafts continue to shape this process, reducing burdens and enabling businesses to focus on their daily activity to contribute to a more sustainable and competitive Europe.
