The European Commission adopted today its 2022 Work Programme, setting out the next steps in its agenda towards a post-pandemic Europe. The new programme contains 42 new policy initiatives across the 6 political priorities of the Commission led by President von der Leyen. It builds on the ideas presented in her 2021 State of the Union speech and reflects the lessons learnt from the unprecedented crisis caused by the pandemic, while paying particular attention to the younger generations, a logical choice considering the proposal to make 2022 the European Year of Youth.

Among the main initiatives are the mobilization of resources in the framework of a Social Climate Fund, doubling the external funding for biodiversity as part of the Green Deal, the setting up of an initiative on an adequate minimum income throughout the EU, accelerating in building a European Defence Union, the tabling of a European Media Freedom Act, and a measure to improve the recognition of parenthood between EU countries.

The Commission will seek to respect the better regulation strategy and its ‘one-in, one-out’ approach in an attempt to minimize the burden on national and regional administrations related to the EU. This will ensure that when introducing unavoidable new burdens, we will systematically and proactively reduce burdens linked to existing EU legislation in the same policy area.

The Commission will now start discussions with the Parliament and Council to establish a list of joint legislative priorities on which co-legislators agree to take swift action. The Commission will continue to support and work with Member States to ensure the implementation of new and existing EU rules, and will not hesitate to uphold EU law through infringement proceedings where needed.

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