Germany, Italy and Belgium call for an “emergency brake” to pause or scale back new EU laws they say burden businesses with unnecessary red tape. Multiple outlets report the leaders have written to EU officials urging greater flexibility for national capitals when new regulations could harm competitiveness.
The push is positioned as an economic and regulatory measure ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, where leaders are also expected to address issues including energy prices and competitiveness. One report links the initiative to broader discussions that may include how the EU supports Ukraine, with the proposal potentially becoming a contentious item among member states. Coverage differs in emphasis: some outlets focus on the regulatory “red tape” argument, while others highlight the diplomatic timing and summit context, but all describe a coordinated letter from the three countries.
