Europe Adds to Business Regulatory Burden, Speaker Says

At the India Netherlands Business Forum in The Hague, Piyush Goyal, a speaker at the forum, said Europe is adding to businesses’ regulatory burden.

By Career Ahead AI · Europe — AI-assisted, fact-verified against cited sources. Readers should verify key facts.

Goyal called for simpler rules and more room to operate

At the India Netherlands Business Forum in The Hague, Piyush Goyal, a speaker at the forum, said Europe is adding to businesses’ regulatory burden. His criticism focused on the rules firms must meet, putting the burden of compliance at the centre of his remarks. The forum also heard a defence of the European Commission’s approach from the Netherlands’ foreign trade minister, Sjoerd Sjoerdsma.^¹²

Goyal said businesses globally wanted less compliance, simpler procedures and less paperwork. He also said the world wants deregulation and more freedom to operate. Those demands describe a preference for fewer steps and less documentation in business activity, alongside more scope for firms to operate. They set out the wider case behind his criticism of Europe’s regulatory burden.^¹²

Goyal said the European Union could take a lesson or two from India on lowering the regulatory burden on businesses. Separately, he described India as having the world’s second largest single national grid, with 70% clean energy. The comments placed deregulation and the country’s energy mix among the subjects he raised at the forum, though the statements made separate points.^¹²

Goyal said businesses globally wanted less compliance, simpler procedures and less paperwork.

The Netherlands defended climate and product rules

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Sjoerd Sjoerdsma defended the European Commission’s approach and ruled out a rethink of CBAM. He described the measure as essential to ensuring the world adheres to the goals of the Paris climate agreement. His response put climate policy at the centre of the disagreement: Goyal argued for a lighter regulatory burden, while Sjoerdsma defended retaining the measure.^¹²

Sjoerdsma said rules related to climate and the quality of products are crucial. He also said rules that unnecessarily hinder trade need to be looked at. His position drew a distinction between retaining rules he considers important and reviewing rules that obstruct trade without need. That leaves room for scrutiny of some regulations while he rejects a rethink of CBAM.^¹²

The trade agreement is targeted for a December signing

The India-EU trade agreement is expected to be signed by the end of the calendar year. Sjoerdsma said he hoped it would be signed in December. The two statements give the anticipated timing and his stated hope for the agreement, against the forum’s discussion of the rules governing trade. Neither statement gives a specific day for a signing.^¹²

Trade between India and the European Union in goods totalled €118.4 billion in 2025, with the bloc importing €69.5 billion worth of goods from India. Annual bilateral trade in goods and services amounted to €180 billion. The goods figure and the broader goods-and-services figure describe different measures, while the import figure specifies one direction of the goods trade.^¹

Bilateral trade between India and the Netherlands fell 16.2% to $23.26 billion in FY26, from $27.75 billion in the previous fiscal year. India recorded a trade surplus of $11.74 billion with the Netherlands in FY26. These figures show both the fall in total bilateral trade and the surplus India recorded over the same fiscal period.^¹

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Sjoerdsma said trade had become more politicised and unpredictable. His comment accompanied discussion of the India-EU trade agreement and the countries’ trade ties, while the figures for India and the Netherlands showed a decline in bilateral trade in FY26. The remarks described a more uncertain trading environment without giving a specific cause for that change.^¹²

The trade agreement is targeted for a December signing The India-EU trade agreement is expected to be signed by the end of the calendar year.

Weigh compliance costs against climate rules

If you work in export, logistics, or trade compliance, the India-EU agreement targeted for a December signing changes which rules you prepare for. India's push for less paperwork and simpler procedures contrasts with Europe's defence of CBAM as essential to Paris goals. That means a role handling EU-bound goods should expect climate-related checks to stay, while other rules may ease. Build skill in CBAM reporting and product-quality documentation, since those are the areas Europe's minister called crucial.^¹²

The trade data also points to a risk. India-Netherlands bilateral trade fell 16.2% to $23.26 billion in FY26, from $27.75 billion, though India kept an $11.74 billion surplus. If you negotiate pay or choose between roles serving EU versus Indian markets, factor in that trade has become more politicised and unpredictable. A job tied to EU-India flows may face volatility, so ask for flexibility or performance-based pay rather than assuming steady volume.^¹