CSR Europe Annual Public Affairs & CSOs Meeting – March 4

The European CSO Network is an incubator for learning and collaboration between enterprises and key stakeholders. This initiative aligns with President Von der Leyen's political guidelines, released on 18 July 2024, for the new European Commission 2024-2029, which include making business easier, unlocking the Financing needed for the Green, Digital, and Social Transition.

On March 4, CSR Europe hosted its annual Public Affairs and CSOs Meeting, bringing together over 40 representatives from CSOs, NPOs, trade associations, and the European Commission. The event provided a valuable platform for participants to exchange views on how to bridge the gap between practitioners and policymakers, with the collective goal of building a more competitive and sustainable Europe.

Collaboration emerged as a key topic throughout the discussions, with participants stressing its importance to shift policy formulation to implementation. In this context, a more pragmatic and business-aligned approach placing sustainability as a key driver for competitiveness and prosperity was deemed essential. Attendees agreed that regulations should be strategically designed, with structured sanity checks in place, and paired with incentives to support businesses in advancing their sustainability efforts.

The event gathered initial feedback on key EU regulations shaping the Commission’s agenda for the next five years. The discussion included the first Omnibus Simplification Package on Sustainability, and the Clean Industrial Deal, both presented on February 26. Participants emphasised that these initiatives should empower businesses instead of imposing additional compliance burdens. They stressed the importance of setting regulatory conditions that:

Allow companies to thrive,
Facilitate upskilling
Offer greater clarity, predictability, and proportionality.

Moreover, it was emphasised that sustainability policies should act as a real catalyst for innovation, investment, and industrial leadership.

Overall, the meeting offered practitioners the chance to reflect on actionable recommendations for improving the quality and the effectiveness of the regulation, ultimately enhancing prosperity and competitiveness. These insights will be crucial for the future work of the CSO Network, particularly in workstream I on Better Regulation and Implementation, and workstream II on linking Sustainability with Competitiveness. Additionally, the input gathered will contribute to foster an ongoing dialogue with policymakers in the coming months.

Below is a timeline of the CSO Network’s activities and key milestones in 2025: