All Eurocodes are currently under a critical review, while the work for a second generation of codes are about to start in 2015. For the geotechnical design EN 1997-1 is facing high demands for harmonization and simplification of the present code. The paper presents some proposals for improving the code regarding ultimate limit state (ULS) design. The goal is to make the code better in accounting for uncertainties involved in the design and possible consequences of an ultimate limit state. When applying a material factor approach (MFA), the partial safety factors are suggested to depend on both the uncertainty of the material and the consequence of failure. Such an approach is well suited for slope stability analysis. However, the authors suggest that also the uncertainties involved with loads should be placed on the material factors. For retaining wall design and load factor approach (LFA) is suggested in addition to MFA similar to present Design Approach (DA) 1 in the Eurocode. This approach gave the most consistent design for all cases in a comprehensive study preformed. Some modifications are though suggested also for DA1 to make the design simpler and even more consistent.