Digitalisation and burden reduction were in focus as experts and decision-makers from across Europe gathered in Copenhagen for the DEBR conference, “Driving Burden Reduction through Digitalisation: Opportunities for Better Regulation.” The event brought together leaders and specialists from EU Member States and beyond for two days of exchange and inspiration.
The conference opened with an inspiring keynote by Stefka Dzhumalieva, Head of Unit at DG GROW, European Commission, who outlined the EU’s digitalisation initiatives and the potential offered by the Single Market Strategy.
Importantly, several members of RegWatchEurope took part in the conference, contributing their valuable perspectives. Paul Mollerup, Chair of the Danish Business Regulation Forum and current Chair of RegWatchEurope during the 2025 presidency, moderated two panel sessions: “Burden Reduction through Digitalisation in Europe – Experiences and Potentials from Member States” and “Driving Burden Reductions through Digitalisation – What Are the Next Steps?”
Throughout the conference, participants explored how digitalisation, standardisation, and automation can help businesses comply more easily with regulations, allowing them to focus more on innovation and growth. Concrete examples were presented with Estonia’s experience with the “Real-Time Economy,” Portugal’s experience with the digital product passport and with Denmark’s automatic enterprise reporting and companies’ preparedness for automated regulatory compliance.
The conference was organised by the Danish EU Presidency, with broad participation from European regulatory and digitalisation experts. Participants praised the event for its engaging discussions and the many practical ideas exchanged.
For RegWatchEurope the conference confirmed that cross-border cooperation and shared experiences, are essential for driving the digital transformation of regulation in Europe.