In 2025 the European Commission introduced as many legal acts as it had not in over a decade, according to figures from the metal industry trade group Gesamtmetall cited by “Welt am Sonntag”. The 1,456 acts proposed under Chairperson Ursula von der Leyen’s leadership include 21 directives, 102 regulations, 137 delegated acts, and 1,196 implementing acts.
Von der Leyen had promised an “unprecedented” reduction in regulations for the past year. Already during her first term (2019‑2024) she issued more legal documents than her two predecessors. Yet cutting rules normally requires new acts-such as revocation measures, omnibus packages or restatements-to actually remove obligations.
Oliver Zander, the chief executive of Gesamtmetall, criticised the Commission’s rhetoric. “The EU keeps promising business‑friendly reforms, but the reality is the opposite” he said. Brussels now drafts four new legal acts each day, a pace that overwhelms many companies. “This is antithetical to deregulation” Zander added, noting that firms struggle to keep up with implementation.
Delegated acts are a particular point of contention. These instruments allow the Commission to add or delete technical details without convening Parliament or the Council for a vote, though both bodies retain veto power. Former German EU commissioner Günter Verheugen described delegated acts as “a gray zone of undemocratic decision‑making” arguing that bureaucrats shape outcomes that affect millions of people and thousands of businesses across Europe. He warned that the Commission’s preference for this process is deeply concerning.
