The European Commission in Brussels has presented its 2027 work programme, defining the key areas of legislative and non-legislative activity for the coming year. The initiative is aimed at strengthening the European Union's position as an independent and resilient political and economic actor on the international stage. Simultaneously with the programme, the Commission has published its 2026 annual progress report, which focuses on simplifying the EU regulatory framework, improving the effectiveness of implementing adopted decisions, and strengthening enforcement practices. The document summarises the work undertaken to reduce administrative burden on citizens and businesses, and assesses how successfully previously adopted measures are being translated into concrete results. The presented documents continue the European Commission's course on deregulation and enhancing the competitiveness of the European economy, which EU leadership has repeatedly emphasised in recent years. Among the priorities for 2027 is maintaining a balance between new regulation and the task of simplifying existing rules, in order to reduce costs for companies and increase the efficiency of EU institutions. The publication of the work programme is part of the European Commission's annual planning cycle and traditionally sets the agenda for discussions with the European Parliament and the EU Council for the coming year. It is expected that details of specific legislative initiatives will be clarified through further publications and consultations with the member states of the union.