EU business leaders view green transition as driver of competitiveness

A survey conducted by GlobeScan for WWF, titled ‘Beyond Uncertainty’, reveals that 91% of European business leaders believe the transition to a low-carbon and environmentally sustainable economy strengthens the long-term competitiveness of the European Union.

The findings suggest a disconnect between political efforts to simplify or reduce environmental regulations and the actual needs of businesses. While some argue for deregulation to boost competitiveness, 55% of surveyed leaders reported that recent EU simplification initiatives have had a negative or mixed impact on their operations. Instead of fewer rules, businesses are calling for ambitious, stable, and predictable regulatory frameworks to provide the certainty needed for investing in resilient supply chains.

Economic risks of inaction are also highlighted, with extreme heat potentially reducing EU GDP by approximately 1% by 2026. Furthermore, the European Commission estimates that the cost of failing to comply with environmental safeguards is roughly €180 billion annually, significantly outweighing the €17 billion in administrative savings achieved through recent simplification efforts.