Keynote speech by Commissioner Dombrovskis at Schwarz Impulse

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, Ich danke Ihnen für die Einladung zu der heutigen Veranstaltung. Ich freue mich sehr, im Kreise von Freunden zu sein und an der diesjährigen Ausgabe der „Schwarz Impulse“ teilzunehmen.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is a pleasure to be here, among friends, at the 2026 edition of Schwarz Impulse.

Thank you for choosing such a hopeful theme for this year's event: Stronger Together: Partnerships for Europe's Success.

At a time when so much seems to be pulling us apart, I want to talk tonight about what brings us together. About the value of partnership, of working together for the benefit of each other. Or, as you say so well in German: an einem Strang ziehen.

My message today is simple. Stronger partnerships are crucial to building the more competitive European economy we so urgently need. Specifically, to deliver on our ambitious agenda to cut red tape.

Tonight, I will share my reflections on three partnerships that are essential to this endeavour.

Firstly, the partnership with those navigating our rules, to identify the actions needed to help unlock investment, innovation and growth.

Secondly, the partnership with our co-legislators, to maintain the ambition and reach of our simplification agenda throughout the legislative process.

And thirdly, the partnership with our Member States, to ensure our drive to cut red tape in Brussels is matched by determined action at national level.

The first essential partnership is between the European Commission and those who navigate our rules every day. Because nobody knows better where our rules fall short, or what our proposals must fix, than the people who navigate them.