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The EU legislative institutions are heavily relying on closer cooperation among the decision-makers on key legislative proposals. For example, at the end of 2025, the joint declaration was approved, highlighting the main “cooperation efforts” among the Commission’s initiatives (as the primary law-drafting institution) and other two co-legislators – the European Parliament and the Council. These steps underlined major aspects of the EU-wide administration procedures, popularly called the governance.
Background
Generally, the EU’s legislative system primarily relies on a triangle of three main institutions: the European Commission (which proposes laws), the European Parliament (720 MEPs representing citizens), and the Council of the European Union (or just the Council, representing member states). Together, they negotiate and pass the vast majority of EU directives and regulations. The legislative process operates primarily through the Ordinary Legislative Procedure, OLP (formerly known as “co-decision”), where the Parliament and the Council share equal footing and must both approve a future law.
More in: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20240524STO21650/what-do-the-eu-institutions-do-infographic
As set out in the Inter-institutional Agreement on better law-making, the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission have, since 2016, agreed on and signed a Joint Declaration to enhance cooperation on key legislative proposals. The Joint Declaration highlights the main Commission initiatives for which the European Parliament and the Council act as co-legislators.
In this context, the Joint Declaration on EU legislative priorities for 2026 underscores the necessity to act with unity, urgency, and ambition. It strongly advocates for a prompt agreement on the next Multiannual Financial Framework and highlights the commitment of EU Institutions to ensure the EU’s defence readiness by 2030.
Additionally, the text addresses efforts to resolve bottlenecks that are hindering the Union’s competitiveness. The Declaration also emphasises the importance of tackling the cost of living, managing migration comprehensively, and reiterates the EU’s role as a leader in humanitarian assistance. Finally, the three EU Institutions commit to prioritising a set of 10 key legislative initiatives during 2026, as outlined in the working document accompanying the Declaration.
The declaration’s framework is guided by the fundamental principles of mutual trust, respect and collaborative spirit: it underlines that the European future lies in its “ability to adapt with speed, fortitude and unity”.
Reference to: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/joint-legislative-priorities-eu-institutions-2026_en
The EU Law Tracker
The European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission have won the category award on “excellence in open administration” from the 2026 Ombudsman Award for Good Administration for the EU Law Tracker.
The award celebrates projects by EU institutions, bodies or agencies that uphold and promote a culture of good administration in the EU and have a positive impact on the lives of citizens. The Law Tracker, launched by the three institutions in cooperation with the Publications Office, is a user-friendly online tool that brings together key legislative information in one place.
The Law Tracker enables citizens to follow EU lawmaking from start to finish through a user-friendly timeline, with direct access to related documents. The Law Tracker demonstrates the European Union’s commitment to transparent, open, and accessible lawmaking.
More on the Law Tracker in: https://law-tracker.europa.eu/splash-screen?returnUrl=%2Fhomepage
Since April 2024, the pilot version of the Law Tracker has been providing full coverage of legislative proposals under the ordinary legislative procedure, the main procedure by which EU laws are adopted. It offers a customisable search function, along with real-time updates on new developments and recently published documents.
The Law Tracker also includes the Joint Declaration Tracker, which tracks the ordinary legislative procedure proposals falling under the 2026 Joint Declaration on Legislative Priorities.
The Law Tracker reflects the shared commitment of the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission to provide easily accessible information on the progress of EU legislation in all official EU languages. The main goal of the Law Tracker is transparency and traceability of laws for the general public.
More in: https://law-tracker.europa.eu/legislative-priorities?lang=en
Previous priorities: still valid
It is vital to mention the previous declaration on the EU legal priorities (2023-2024), in which the EU three institutions have “committed their best efforts”. Delivery on the previous priorities was dealing both with the legislative proposals already with the co-legislators’ files, and those that the European Commission were drafting and would put forward; thus, the three institutions agree to give the utmost priority to the following policy objectives, which are still important:
= To deliver the European Green Deal with its goal of climate neutrality by 2050 despite adverse geopolitical circumstances, we will work to accelerate the green and just transition as a key part of the solution to energy security and the high energy prices, as well as to food security concerns.
= To achieve the digital transition and enhance the EU’s resilience. The EU will focus on reducing the resource use and the environmental and climate impact, enhancing Europe’s lead in pioneering technologies, in security of supply, competitiveness and resilience, supporting the relevant digital skills, and pursuing a human-centric approach. The EU will also focus on pending proposals on artificial intelligence, data access and use, cyber resilience, cybersecurity, and the reinforcement of the defence industry. To ensure an adequate and diversified supply for the twin transition, the EU will prioritise measures on critical raw materials and rare earths, as well as semiconductors. To encourage innovative technologies, the EU-27 will act on the regulatory framework for hyperloop, the new radio spectrum policy program and secure space-based communication, as well as act on the common European mobility data space. The EU will also strengthen the digital single market, including by working on the Single Market Emergency Instrument and on improving conditions in platform work.
= To increase efforts in order to boost competitiveness, secure growth and create employment opportunities for European citizens. The EU will focus in particular on young people and the development of relevant skills to remove the obstacles and burdens holding back the small companies. The EU will act to put forward an SME Relief package and to support and relieve businesses, including through easier access to capital and data, fast and innovative payment solutions, and streamlined rules on insolvency.
= Making stronger Europe in the world. In line with the Strategic Compass, the EU will work further to boost shared defence and security capabilities and resilience, including against foreign information manipulation and interference. The EU will act to set up a framework toolbox to combat corruption.
= Promoting the European way of life: to achieve this, the EU will give absolute priority to finalising the reform of the migration and asylum legislative framework, based on the joint roadmap on the pact on migration and asylum. The EU will also aim to reach swift progress on the legal migration package, and the revised Schengen Borders Code. As part of the proposed European Year of Skills, the EU will aim to work as a priority on the upcoming proposal on recognising third country qualifications as well as supporting learning mobility within the EU.
= To protect European democracy and values from unprecedented threats: i.e. the EU will use all available tools to strengthen and defend the rule of law, equality and anti-discrimination, as well as media freedom and pluralism within the Union. The Commission will work swiftly to conclude work on the transparency and targeting of political advertising, the statute and funding of European political parties and foundations and the electoral rights of mobile Europeans.
Source and citation form:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32022C1223%2801%29