EU Omnibus Deregulation Drive Reshapes European Governance (socialeurope.eu)

• The Commission plans seven Omnibus directives in 2026 targeting AI, chemicals, agriculture, digital, and other sectors.
• The EPP broke the cordon sanitaire in November 2025 to pass Omnibus 1, which reversed the Duty of Care directive.
• The deregulation drive is supported by a coalition of far-right governments, European industry, US tech firms, and the Trump administration.

"The European Commission is using 'Omnibus' directives — originally a tool for technical legislative housekeeping — to rewrite EU laws in a pro-business direction at an unprecedented scale. Seven such directives are planned for 2026. This deregulatory push, backed by far-right governments, the EPP, European industry, US tech platforms, and the Trump administration, follows the EPP's breach of the cordon sanitaire in November 2025 to undo the Duty of Care directive. The promised 25% reduction in red tape and €37.5 billion in savings lack a demonstrated mechanism, and critics warn the EU risks losing its capacity to act as a public authority."