In 2023, lobby group BusinessEurope conducted a survey of 240 companies about permit procedures as barriers to doing business. 83% of these companies, which operate in cement, chemicals, metallurgy and refining, consider that the complexity and duration of permits is an obstacle to investing in Europe.
Some 60% of the firms surveyed said that the permit procedure had taken them between 1 and 6 years. The environmental impact assessment is often the factor that delays the procedure, according to 63% of the companies surveyed.
Limiting the length of procedures is the first area for improvement identified by BusinessEurope. The Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and the Critical Raw Materials Act are a step in this direction, reducing the lead times for strategic industrial projects.
Wider action is needed, however, according to the organisation. This involves more fluid communication between companies and the authorities, authorisations to start projects even before the permit is granted, and digitisation of procedures.
To see the full survey and recommendations, go to https://aeur.eu/f/au6 (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)