European Commission in the Trash: 37 Legislative Proposals Rejected

Last week, the European Commission presented its Work Program for 2025, which serves as a sort of priority list for the next 12 months. In it, regarding some new legislative solutions, there are not many surprises as projects like the Competitiveness Compass and the Industrial Green Deal are already known. However, it is interesting to see what the Commission has abandoned, as some legislative proposals were rejected as outdated, useless, or unfeasible. It is also interesting to know that some work was done on these useless proposals for some time, only it is a pity that we do not know who the initiators of these useless proposals were.

Ultimately, the European Commission has withdrawn 37 legislative proposals as part of its efforts to reduce bureaucracy and speed up decision-making. These decisions are part of a broader strategy to streamline the legislative process, but they have elicited various reactions. Some of these proposals simply no longer make sense—for example, the cooperation agreement with the Afghan government, which practically does not exist since the Taliban took power in 2021. However, while some proposals were doomed to fail from the start, others will likely spark discussions about whether they deserve a return in some new form. We have highlighted the most important ones.

Directive on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Liability

One of the biggest surprises on the list of rejected proposals is the Directive on AI Liability in the context of the increasing application of AI technologies proposed in 2022. The aim was to establish consistent consumer protection across the EU, but the Commission now claims that ‘it is not possible to reach an agreement in the foreseeable future.

This decision has drawn criticism, especially from representatives like Axel Voss (EPP), who himself worked on the proposal and believes that the withdrawal is a ‘strategic mistake.’ Nevertheless, it is expected that the issue of AI liability will return to the agenda in some other form, given the importance of regulating this sector, although it is not known when.

E-Privacy Reform Goes Down in History

The planned reform of digital privacy rules, first proposed back in 2017, is also coming to an end. The aim was to limit user tracking for advertising purposes, curb ‘pay or consent’ models used by tech giants like Facebook, and protect encrypted communication. Although negotiations on this law have been ongoing since 2021, they have yielded no results. Despite pressure from digital rights activists to continue discussions, the Commission believes that the proposal is outdated due to technological and legal changes that have occurred in the meantime. Nevertheless, the Commission has shown no intention of reviving this proposal.

No Expansion of Anti-Discrimination Rules

Another long-standing proposal, the 2008 initiative to expand anti-discrimination laws beyond the workplace, has been officially withdrawn. The proposal was intended to ensure equal rights regardless of age, disability, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. However, after years of blockage in the EU Council, the Commission deemed it unfeasible.

Green MEP Alice Bah Kuhnke, the rapporteur on this dossier in the European Parliament, called the decision ‘scandalous,’ highlighting the need for more ambitious laws at a time when global regression in diversity and equality is being recorded.

Patent Reform Hits a Wall

Another controversial move by the Commission is the abandonment of the so-called ‘patent package,’ which included changes to standard essential patents (SEPs) and supplementary protection certificates (SPCs). The Association of Intellectual Property Judges warned that these changes could jeopardize the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and lead to legal uncertainty. Even António Campinos, the president of the European Patent Office, called for a pause in the reform—which has now happened, indefinitely.

Financial Rules

Several financial regulations have also met the fate of Argentine President Milei, who eliminated numerous state institutions with his ‘Afuera!’ policy. Among the lesser-known victims is the law on ‘the effects of the assignment of claims to third parties,’ which was supposed to facilitate companies’ access to liquidity through instruments like factoring and collateralization.

Significantly, the Commission has abandoned the 2017 plan to transform the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) into the European Monetary Fund (EMF), citing a lack of agreement among member states. Some of the ideas from that proposal have been incorporated into the ESM revision, but not in their original form, indicating a need for a more flexible approach to financial reforms.

Less Transparency in EU Decision-Making

Bad news is also coming for those who like to follow the work of European institutions, as the rules for improving public access to EU documents have been rejected, after no progress has been made since 2011 because there is no place for transparency in the EU. Another lesser-known but important victim is the reform of comitology—the EU decision-making system that does not involve direct oversight by the European Parliament. The Commission attempted to reform this mechanism back in 2015, but after years of blockage, it decided to withdraw. This means that the Parliament will continue to have minimal influence on decisions regarding some sensitive issues, which of course fuels criticism about the lack of democratic oversight of the Commission’s work.