How von der Leyen’s omnibuses drive EU lawmaking

You wait ages for an omnibus, then six come along at once. The European Commission’s omnibus simplification programme is becoming a veritable traffic jam, transforming — if not clogging up — the legislative pipes. And there’s more to come: a 22 July consultation hints at the next phase, a review of EU environmental law. Behind the scenes, frustration is mounting among officials and lawmakers alike, who denounce a top-down process that risks undermining years of work — and shifting the balance of power in Brussels.