Transcript No Slide Title

European Commission
DG Enterprise & Industry
Conference on Better Regulation: Practical Steps Forward
Reykjavík 6 June 2006
OVERVIEW OF THE BETTER
REGULATION STRATEGY IN THE
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Presentation by Silvia Viceconte
European Commission
DG Enterprise & Industry
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Overview of the Better Regulation
Strategy in the European Commission
A little historical context…
With the Single Market largely in place emphasis partly shifted to
institutional reforms to promote regulatory quality.
A few words on Better Regulation and why it is so high up
on the agenda...
Better Regulation stimulates growth and innovation » more jobs
& competitive advantage.
Better laws increase confidence between lawmakers and
citizens
The re-launched Lisbon strategy kept up political momentum.
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Overview of the Better Regulation
Strategy in the European Commission

Better Regulation?
i.
Introduce a new culture of regulatory
management
Clear policies and political commitment
Improved institutional procedures
Introduction of new tools and practices
on impact analysis, consultation and
simplification
ii.
iii.
iv.
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Overview of the Better Regulation
Strategy in the European Commission

To translate into action, the Commission
adopted a :
Better Regulation Action Plan (2002)
 Main elements:





Impact Assessment
Analysis of alternatives to regulation
Consultation and expertise
Simplification/Modernisation of existing
legislation
Improved access to regulation
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Overview of the Better Regulation Strategy in
the European Commission
Communication on Better Regulation for
Growth and Jobs in the EU
(March 2005)
Proposes 3 key action lines:
1.
2.
3.
Reinforcing BR at EU level
Reinforcing BR at MS level
Increasing co-operation between MS and the
Commission on BR
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Overview of the Better Regulation Strategy in
the European Commission
1.
Reinforcing BR at EU level
a)
Impact assessment
b)
Consultation
c)
Screening of pending legislative proposals
d)
Simplification of existing EU legislation
e)
Inter-institutional Agreement on Better
Lawmaking
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Overview of the Better Regulation Strategy in
the European Commission
1.
Reinforcing BR at EU level
a)
Impact assessment
Revised guidelines for IA adopted in June 2005:
economic, environmental and social impacts;


Update of guidelines in March 2006: measurement
of administrative costs;

Independent review of the Commission’s IA system
in 2006;
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Impact Assessment in the European
Commission
Revised Guidelines on Impact assessment:
Key analytical steps:
1.
Identify the problem : who is affected, does the EU have the
right to act (subsidiarity test)?
2.
Define the objectives : general, more specific, operational/
consistency with other EU policies?
3.
Develop main policy options : « no EU action » option, nonregulatory option, which options early discarded & why?
4.
Analyse their impacts : likely economic, social, environmental
impacts of shortlisted options? Affected groups, sectors, regions?
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Impact Assessment in the European
Commission
Revised Guidelines on Impact assessment:
Key analytical steps:
5.
Compare the options : Positive & negative impacts of
shortlisted options? Balancing administrative costs against other
regulatory costs: if one option imposes lower administrative costs,
this is NOT in itself a sufficient reason to prefer it.
6.

Outline policy monitoring and evaluation
Stakeholder consultation & collection of expertise
can/should run throughout the process : this ensures that
the proposed policy is practically workable & legitimate from the
point of view of the stakeholders.
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Impact Assessment in the European
Commission
1. Reinforcing BR at EU level
Impact assessment
Major exercise to measure administrative costs to be
launched (results expected in 2007):
a)




Goal: identify what share of costs < Community rules &
< implementation by MS
Administrative costs to be measured in 6 sectors & for all
levels of legislation (EU, national, regional)
Pilot Project: focus on 1 industrial sector affected by the
Constructions Products Directive, to be studied in 10 MS (final
report: expected by the end of 2006)
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Overview of the Better Regulation Strategy in
the European Commission
1. Reinforcing BR at EU level
b)



c)

Consultation
Commission has long consultation tradition
« General principles & minimum standards for
consultation of interested parties » (11/12/2002)
Consultations accessible through « Your voice in
Europe » website
Screening of pending legislative proposals
183 proposals screened, 67 withdrawn (via publication
in OJ of 17/03/2006)
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Overview of the Better Regulation Strategy in
the European Commission
1.
Reinforcing BR at EU level
d)
Simplification of existing EU legislation

New simplification phase with a focus on
competitiveness
Based on a broad consultation of both MS and
stakeholders
3-year rolling programme


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Overview of the Better Regulation Strategy in
the European Commission
2.
Reinforcing BR at MS level

Responsibility of the MS
Commission will encourage BR/simplification

3. Increasing co-operation between MS and the
Commission on BR

Consultative Group of High Level National Experts on
BR
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For more information:
Useful links
Better Regulation:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/regulation/better_regulation/index_en.htm
Guidelines Impact Assessment:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/regulation/better_regulation/impact_assessm
ent/index.htm
Impact Assessments planned & carried out:
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/secretariat_general/impact/practice_en.htm
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