Brussels looks to spin its red-tape cuts as a gift to Trump

BRUSSELS — The European Commission is drawing up a playbook to convince the Trump administration that Europe is serious about cutting red tape for American companies — but on its own terms.

The EU executive told national envoys this week that it was preparing a “checklist” spelling out how Brussels would address President Donald Trump’s demands on its business rule books, five EU diplomats and officials told POLITICO. 

The move comes after Trump’s trade department sent its position to the European Commission demanding that Brussels remove what the U.S. considers to be non-tariff barriers to trade — measures that EU officials see instead as core elements of the bloc’s regulatory sovereignty.

The European Commission has repeatedly stressed that the bloc will not be unwinding any existing laws or regulations to suit Trump’s agenda.

But having faced criticism over the EU-U.S. trade deal, EU officials are mindful to present the work on easing the regulatory framework as being in line with the bloc’s own ongoing deregulation agenda. This now includes nine simplification packages — known in the Brussels jargon as “omnibus” measures.

“We don’t do ‘at your command,’” said one of the officials, who like others interviewed for this story was granted anonymity to discuss the confidential conversations.

“We’re going to sell them our omnibus as concessions.” 

EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič and his U.S. counterpart Jamieson Greer spoke last Sunday, a European Commission spokesperson said earlier this week.

Flipping the narrative

For Brussels, the move offers a chance to flip the narrative: Instead of bowing to Trump’s pressure, the EU executive is looking to frame its own deregulation push to show it is playing ball on their trade agreement — which was set down in writing in August and only referred briefly to some non-tariff barriers and the bloc’s business oversight rules.

According to the diplomats, the Commission’s internal work will focus on areas explicitly mentioned in the statement agreed after Trump and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shook hands on a deal in Scotland — including the EU’s carbon border tax, deforestation ban, supply chain transparency rules and its green reporting obligations. 

This would exclude the EU’s digital rules, such as the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, which the Trump administration sees as censoring or discriminating against American companies.

Commission Deputy Chief Spokesperson Olof Gill said the EU was focused on the “faithful implementation” of the joint statement, describing it as the basis for strategic cooperation.

“The EU is now exploring the best path forward to implement all commitments made, with Commissioner Šefčovič engaging closely with U.S. counterparts,” Gill told POLITICO. “Our focus is on delivery and tangible results, ensuring that all next steps build on the joint statement and reflect a fair and reciprocal EU–U.S. trade partnership.”

The checklist was first reported by Bloomberg.

Marianne Gros contributed reporting.