The European Commission is being called out for rushing updates to its sustainable transparency rules. On the surface, it may seem like a minor bureaucratic matter, but as someone who has hopped between startup ecosystems and regulatory environments, I see this as part of a much larger problem. The Commission’s alleged failure to consult the public or back up its urgency claims doesn’t just affect policymakers or environmental nonprofits, it trickles down to entrepreneurs, freelancers, and business owners navigating the maze of sustainability reporting requirements.
The EU Ombudswoman has made it clear: rushing half-baked proposals for the sake of meeting deadlines strips away the trust we need in governance. And if trust breaks, so does the sense of stability that many of us rely on to chart business strategies.
Let’s unpack what happened and why this matters for you:
The Crisis Around Transparency
In November 2025, it surfaced that the European Commission pushed sustainability proposals without adequately consulting the public. More critically, lobbying by private interests reportedly played a role in shaping these rushed measures.
According to Reuters, eight organizations, including environmental and human rights groups, highlighted procedural red flags. These included closed-door discussions with industry players, exclusion of public feedback, and lack of an evidence-based burden assessment. It’s almost impossible for business owners like us to take changing regulations seriously when they’re this opaque.
Why was the process rushed? The Commission cited “urgency,” claiming these measures needed fast-tracking. But the Ombudswoman found no valid justification for haste. Instead, the shortcuts fed into concerns about weakening sustainability rules. That leaves businesses questioning: what’s the final play here? And how reliable are today’s regulations for long-term planning?
Most Common Mistakes Policymakers Make (And How It Affects You)
This is not a one-off. As both an entrepreneur and observer of regulatory trends, I’ve noticed recurring missteps in policymaking that directly impact businesses across Europe. Here are the main ones to watch out for:
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Failing to Consult Stakeholders Broadly
Policymakers tend to consult large corporates or industry leaders rather than considering voices from SMEs, freelancers, or social entrepreneurs. This creates policies that cater to big players while leaving the rest of us in the dark. -
Rushing Through Vague Regulations
Hastily written rules lead to grey areas. Businesses end up relying on interpretations, risking non-compliance down the line. -
Ignoring Transparency Standards
Lack of public access to decision-making processes fuels uncertainty and makes it harder to prepare for new compliance frameworks. -
Overlooking Practical Implementation
High-level guidelines often lack real-world feasibility. Who hasn’t seen laws that sound ideal on paper but fail miserably when applied?
What Entrepreneurs Can Do About It
When the people in charge of your regulatory landscape are making mistakes, your business doesn’t have to get caught off guard. Here’s my step-by-step approach to staying ahead, even in murky waters:
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Track Policy Updates
You obviously don’t need to read every legal document. Instead, subscribe to focused news platforms like Finextra, or monitor updates from EU desks that aggregate regulatory changes impacting businesses. -
Join Local Advocacy Groups
Getting involved in industry networks or advocacy groups can be an effective way to make your voice heard. They ensure that policymaker consultations aren’t skewed toward the big players. -
Plan for Flexibility, Not Perfection
Align your business model with sustainable practices using templates or tools designed for modern businesses. For example, the F/MS Business Model Canvas Tool allows startups to adjust elements like compliance while maintaining broader strategy clarity. -
Push for Public Consultation
Don’t underestimate the power of a collective voice. Engage with EU public consultation processes when notified via industry bodies or news channels.
Key Insights for Today’s Entrepreneurs
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Sustainability Rules Are No Longer Optional
Whether governments enforce them properly or not, the market increasingly demands adherence to sustainable practices. This means rethinking supply chains, adopting responsible sourcing, and preparing impact reports even if fewer rules demand them. -
Adaptability Is Your Safety Net
With rapid-fire announcements and changes, businesses must always be flexible. Budget for professional advice on compliance and invest in scalable systems that allow changes to operational workflows without disrupting activities. -
Expect Delays but Prepare for Implementation
When government regulators are embroiled in accusations of impropriety, as the European Commission is now, you can often expect delays in formal decision-making. Use the time to test-drive compliance strategies and discover potential challenges.
The Bigger Picture for Businesses
Sustainable finance regulation can’t succeed through shortcuts. Businesses want transparency not for the sake of good governance alone but because it builds predictability into a volatile economic environment. These rushed EU proposals undermine that confidence, which means companies must pivot hard to protect themselves.
The situation holds a lesson for entrepreneurs: keep learning and building your resilience. Take extra steps to engage in sustainability and compliance-related initiatives. Look beyond what’s demanded today; prepare for what’s coming tomorrow. Because one thing I’ve learned during my years of startup adventures is that the most successful business founders aren’t the ones who predicted the future, they’re the ones who prepared for it.
Looking for smart ways to future-proof your business within shifting sustainable frameworks? Check out the F/MS Business Model Canvas Tool and refine your strategy for a more transparent, adaptive, and resilient path forward.
FAQ
1. Why is the European Commission accused of rushing sustainable transparency rules?
The European Commission was accused of pushing sustainability reporting measures without adequate public consultation and transparency. The Ombudswoman highlighted that the process lacked justification for urgency and excluded evidence-based decision-making. Read the original Reuters report
2. Which groups filed a complaint against the European Commission's approach?
Eight organizations, including ClientEarth and other environmental and human rights groups, filed the complaint, citing procedural flaws like the exclusion of public feedback and lobbying influences. Learn more in the Finextra report
3. What were the procedural issues identified by the Ombudswoman?
The Ombudswoman found the European Commission had proposed measures without a sound justification for urgency, lacked public consultation, and failed to follow its own Better Regulation guidelines. Discover key findings outlined in Global Banking and Finance Review
4. How do rushed regulations impact small businesses and entrepreneurs?
Hastily created regulations often cater to large corporate interests, leaving SMEs and entrepreneurs facing unclear compliance requirements that could result in operational and financial risks. Learn more about impacts on SMEs
5. What are some common policymaking mistakes affecting businesses?
Major mistakes include failing to broadly consult stakeholders, rushing through vague regulations, ignoring transparency, and overlooking practical implementation challenges. Each of these contributes to compliance uncertainty for smaller enterprises.
6. What steps can entrepreneurs take to guard against regulatory uncertainty?
Entrepreneurs should track regulatory updates, join local advocacy groups, use adaptable business tools like the F/MS Business Model Canvas Tool, and participate in public consultations when possible. Check out the F/MS Business Model Canvas Tool
7. Why does public consultation matter in sustainable finance policymaking?
Public consultation ensures that policies are balanced and cater to diverse stakeholder needs rather than disproportionately favoring corporate interests, fostering trust and stability in governance. Explore more insights on transparency issues
8. How does the sustainability market demand affect businesses even without strict regulations?
The market increasingly favors sustainability practices, which require businesses to rethink supply chains, practice responsible sourcing, and prepare impact reports regardless of regulatory enforcement.
9. Are sustainability rules likely to be delayed following this controversy?
Yes, accusations of impropriety, as faced by the European Commission, often lead to delays in decision-making, giving businesses more time to align their strategies with upcoming updates.
10. How can flexibility help in adapting to changes in sustainable finance regulations?
Flexible systems and scalable compliance strategies allow businesses to seamlessly adapt to regulatory updates without major operational disruptions.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
