In an interview with Smedjan on the future of EU competitiveness and deregulation, Pehr Granfalk, European Committee of the Regions rapporteur on Digital Simplification, spoke about the urgent need to reduce bureaucracy and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness.
Granfalk emphasised that the European Union must prioritize competitiveness, innovation, and growth in order to remain globally competitive. “We must create regulations that enable technological development in Europe, not regulations that make it slower,” said Pehr Granfalk.
The interview highlighted concerns that overlapping regulations are slowing down AI adoption in the public sector and increasing administrative burdens for municipalities and SMEs. “Every time a proposal is put forward, it should not mean more administration for municipalities, regions or small and medium-sized enterprises — which it often does. A lot of it is about reporting information to the EU without really knowing why it has to be done.” Granfalk stated.
Granfalk also stressed the importance of budget discipline, efficiency, and responsible use of existing EU resources rather than expanding EU taxation powers. “I think it is better to use the money already in the system in a better way,” he said.
The interview further underlined the growing debate within the EU on the need to shift from a regulation-first mindset toward a competitiveness-first approach, particularly as Europe faces increasing competition from the US and China.