On 19 October 2021, the European Commission adopted its 2022 Work Programme which sets out an agenda for the next steps towards a post-COVID-19 Europe that is greener, fairer, more digital and more resilient. The Work Programme delivers on President Ursula von de Leyen’s six headline ambitions which were published in the Political Guidelines for the next European Commission 2019-2024 which are:
- A European Green Deal
- A Europe fit for the digital age
- An economy that works for people
- A stronger Europe in the world
- Promoting our European way of life
- A new push for European democracy
A full list of the 42 new policy initiatives, within 32 policy objectives, under the six headline ambitions are set out in Annex 1 of the Work Programme.
In addition to the six headlines, the Work Programme will implement the ‘one-in, one-out’ approach which means that when unavoidable new burdens are introduced, the Commission will work to reduce burdens linked to existing EU legislation in the same policy area.
The Commission will start discussions with the European Parliament and Council to establish a list of joint legislative priorities on which co-legislators agree to take swift action.
