Authored by Bruno Liebhaberg, CERRE Executive Chairman.
European regulation is under strain. It is criticised as too complex, too slow, and sometimes ill-adapted to fast-moving technologies and markets. This is not a minor debate. It goes to the heart of Europe’s capacity to compete, innovate, and protect its citizens and its democratic foundations. CERRE was created in 2010 with a clear belief: well-designed regulation can deliver on all three. That belief has not changed. But the context has.
Today’s challenges – geopolitical risks, AI, energy, supply chains, cyber and physical security – are interconnected and urgent. They require regulation that is not only sound in principle, but effective in practice. Simpler, where needed – but not weaker. The choice is not between complexity and deregulation, but between ineffective rules and those that will at the same time optimise consumer interests, uphold citizens’ rights, and incentivise innovation and investment.
This is why CERRE has updated its mission: Shaping evidence-based regulation for resilient democracies. This is more than a change in wording. It reflects a shift in scope and intent. From discussing regulation to actively informing policy choices, even more systematically than previously. From sectoral work to cross-cutting challenges. From a European focus to a more global perspective. And from producing research to delivering timely, decision-ready insights.
CERRE’s role is to bring clarity where debates are polarised, and relevance where policy risks drifting from market realities. By connecting policymakers, regulators, business, and academia, we translate evidence into actionable recommendations—grounded, independent, and aligned with how markets actually function.
At a time when Europe’s regulatory model is being tested, regulation must be fit for purpose. This is the ambition behind CERRE’s new mission statement.
