27/11/2025
The Good Lobby welcomes today’s landmark decision by the European Ombudswoman, who found that the EU Commission committed maladministration in its preparation of the Omnibus I on sustainability and the 2024 CAP “simplification.”
This is an important win for civil society, echoing months of work by NGOs, public watchdogs, expert communities, and engaged citizens.
While the European Ombudsman’s recommendation can’t stop this legislative file – being only advisory in nature -, it carries important implications for the entire simplification agenda by raising legality concerns in relation to the many more omnibuses to come (and likely legal challenges that will be brought against them).
The Good Lobby is proud to have meaningfully contributed to this outcome by denouncing the choice of the Omnibus as the privileged legislative method to advance its simplification agenda since early 2025, in public scrutiny efforts, legal analyses, and the mobilisation of over 100 legal experts. Today’s decision validates the concerns raised:
- the Commission departed from the public consultation procedure,
- denied citizens and civil society a genuine opportunity to participate,
- and favoured narrow industry interests over transparency, evidence, and democratic accountability.
These conclusions echo the concerns raised in the legal opinions published by The Good Lobby and in our recent webinar, where experts warned that procedural shortcuts threaten both the rule of law and the integrity of the Green Deal.
Today’s finding sends a clear message: EU institutions must not sacrifice legality and public participation for political convenience.
We call on the Commission to:
- restore transparency and inclusive consultation in ALL ongoing and future omnibus initiatives;
- conduct full impact assessments before proposing substantive policy changes;
- safeguard environmental and human rights protections from being eroded through procedural shortcuts.
This decision demonstrates the importance and the effectiveness of sustained engagement by civil society, experts, and citizens. The Good Lobby will continue to support this collective effort to uphold democratic integrity in EU policymaking.