Brussels, BELGIUM – Today, the European Commission adopted its Environmental Omnibus, an initiative aimed at simplifying administrative burden in environmental legislation. While the package provides some relief, it falls short of the deeper simplification needed to boost Europe’s competitiveness and accelerate environmental progress.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe) supports the decision to scrap the obligation for companies already established in the EU to appoint an authorised representative for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This is a common-sense fix that allows businesses to free up resources for meaningful compliance and sustainability work.
Plans to accelerate permitting for strategic infrastructure, including for data centres and energy grid expansion, also move the EU in the right direction according to CCIA Europe.
Yet today’s proposal still leaves major obstacles untouched. The current timeline for battery removability remains unrealistic for tech devices with complex R&D cycles. By deciding not to postpone the Article 11 obligations, the Commission risks compromising consumer safety and slowing innovation. A shift toward professional, not do-it-yourself, battery replacement would deliver safer outcomes without undermining environmental goals.
The Omnibus also misses an obvious modernisation: digital product information. Replacing mandatory in-box paper manuals with digital-by-default documentation would drastically reduce paper waste and save the consumer electronics sector an estimated €120 million annually – all while making compliance information easier to access for consumers.
To truly unblock the Single Market, the EU must also address overlapping and inconsistent EPR schemes, including enabling a marketplace-on-behalf model for SMEs and preventing double-charging for second-hand goods.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Europe’s Policy Manager for Sustainability, Leonardo Veneziani:
“CCIA Europe welcomes the Commission’s efforts to cut the red tape regarding EPR authorised representatives and to address permitting bottlenecks for data centres. These are practical fixes that will help businesses operate more efficiently.”
“However, Europe needs environmental rules that reflect technical realities, from realistic battery redesign timelines to allowing digital documentation instead of shipping tonnes of paper no one reads. We urge the EU co-legislators to seize the chance to turn these missed opportunities into real wins for both the environment and the EU economy.”
