On 16 December 2025, the European Commission presented the Automotive Omnibus as part of a broader Automotive Package aimed at supporting the sector’s transition to clean mobility while safeguarding competitiveness and industrial resilience. The initiative responds directly to long-standing concerns raised by vehicle manufacturers and suppliers regarding regulatory complexity, overlapping technical requirements, and cumulative compliance costs arising from successive layers of EU vehicle legislation.
Scope and Structure of the Automotive Omnibus
At the core of the Automotive Omnibus is a proposal for a Regulation amending key EU vehicle legislation on type approval, covering motor vehicles and their trailers as well as systems, components and separate technical units. The amendments address general vehicle safety, the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users, emissions requirements, and battery durability. In parallel, the proposal repeals the Regulation on motor vehicle sound levels and replacement silencing systems, and the Directive on permissible sound levels and exhaust systems, removing provisions considered outdated or duplicative.
The Omnibus is complemented by a proposal for a Directive to exempt certain category N2 electric vehicles from speed limitation requirements. This linked proposal addresses specific operational constraints affecting electric trucks and light commercial vehicles, particularly in the 3.5–4.25 tonne range. The package is accompanied by a Commission Staff Working Document (SWD(2025) 1056), which sets out the impact assessment and provides detailed technical and economic justification for the proposed changes.
Key Regulatory Adjustments
Substantively, the Automotive Omnibus introduces a series of targeted adjustments rather than a comprehensive overhaul of EU vehicle law. These include expanded flexibilities for Member States affecting operational requirements for specific categories of electric vehicles, new delegated powers for the Commission to define technical requirements related to vehicle-to-grid and smart charging functionalities, and exemptions from speed limitation devices for certain electric buses and trucks.
The proposal also broadens the Commission’s powers to adopt implementing acts governing testing methodologies and performance thresholds for onboard fuel consumption monitoring, onboard diagnostics, and onboard monitoring systems. Taken together, these measures are intended to streamline compliance pathways, reduce administrative burdens, and improve regulatory coherence across the vehicle lifecycle.
Timing
The Automotive Omnibus follows the ordinary legislative procedure and has been identified as a legislative priority for 2026 in the Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission, signalling strong political support for timely progress. With the file already under consideration in both institutions, substantive developments are expected in the coming months.
How Does This Affect Your Company?
For manufacturers, suppliers, and operators, the Automotive Omnibus may offer tangible reductions in compliance costs and reporting burdens. However, it also introduces new delegated and implementing act mandates that could shape future technical obligations. Companies will need to assess how exemptions, revised definitions, and evolving testing requirements interact with existing type-approval strategies, product portfolios, and contractual arrangements.
How We Can Assist
As the Automotive Omnibus progresses through the legislative process, early engagement will be critical. We can support clients across the automotive value chain with, among others:
- Detailed analysis of the proposals, including amendments, repeals, and transitional provisions;
- Monitoring of parliamentary and Council deliberations, including committee allocation, rapporteur appointments, and emerging amendment trends;
- Technical-legal briefings to support stakeholder engagement with EU institutions and Member State authorities;
- Regulatory risk assessments addressing the interaction between the Omnibus, type-approval strategies, and future delegated or implementing acts.
We will continue to monitor developments closely and provide further updates as the legislative process unfolds. If you would like to discuss how the Automotive Omnibus may affect your business, please contact our team.