1 DG Enterprise & Industry European Commission E.U. conference of Administrative Burden Reduction Malta, 1 February 2008 Burden Reduction in Support of Economic Competitivity BETTER REGULATION IN THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION Charles-Henri Montin European Commission DG Enterprise & Industry

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Why is Better Regulation high on the European Commission 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.

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ The issues and the EU response Growth and Jobs Competitivity Lisbon strategy Improve regulatory environment of business Better Regulation agenda Cut Red Tape Action Programme for reducing adm burden

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6 BR needs 3 levels of action  Institutions  Policies  Tools : see next slide

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Tools of Better Regulation Consultation Access Alternatives RIA ABM Simplification FLOW STOCK Stakeholders The Economy The Administration

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Overview of the Better Regulation Strategy of the European Commission  2002: Better Regulation Action Plan  2005: Communication on Better Regulation for Growth and Jobs in the EU  2007: Strategic Review + Action Progr. approved by European Council in March -Target: -25% burdens on EU law/transposition -National targets of comparable ambition -Fast track actions  2008: 2 nd Strategic Review; first reductions

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Reinforcing BR at EU level How?  * Impact assessment  ** Reduction of administrative burdens  Streamline EU acquis  More effective Consultation

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Reinforcing BR at MS level  Actions at Community level are not sufficient  Responsibility shared with Member States (subsidiarity) : Council decision on targets)  Co-operation between MS and the Commission on BR (open coordination): Consultative Group of High Level National Experts on BR Consultative Group of High Level National Experts on BR National Reform Programmes (Lisbon) National Reform Programmes (Lisbon)

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ nd Strategic Review of BR 30 January contents  Simplifying (EU) legislation  Reducing administrative burdens at EU and MS levels  “Using Impact assessments to draft initiatives”  “Sharing responsibililty” (working with other institutions)  “Correct application of EU law in MS”  “Help to shape global regulation”

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Impact assessment  IA = study of economic, environmental and social impacts of all proposals in the COM work programme  : 284 produced and published  2008 : 180 planned  Updates guidelines on IA (15/3/2006)  Nov 2006 : Creation of Impact Assessment Board: internal but dedicated & independent quality control function with external expertise.  Independent review of the Commission’s IA in 2007  30 Jan 2008 Review: IAB role will be strengthened. Council and EP invited to reinforce use of IA in legislative process.

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Reducing administrative burdens  Mar 2006: operational manual EU SCM  Jan 2007: Action Programme includes : reduction target of 25% by 2012 for EU and transposition law in 13 priority areas, reduction target of 25% by 2012 for EU and transposition law in 13 priority areas, list of items for fast-track actions list of items for fast-track actions  March 2007: Endorsement of AP by European Council; invitation to MS to set national targets of comparable ambition  July 2007: launching of EU wide measurement with EU SCM with consortium

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ The three stages of SCM INVOLVE STAKEHOLDERS I– Map I.O.’s II – Measure Costs III – Reduce burdens

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Simplification of existing EU legislation  The simplification rolling programme focuses on competitiveness aspects; 164 measures  Based on extensive consultations of Member States, businesses and citizens.  300 legal texts = 5000 pages removed out of 95k as of  Updated rollling simplif progr in 2009

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Other legal tools  Codification = repealing a set of acts in one area and replacing them with a single act, containing no substantive changes to those acts  Screening and withdrawal of pending proposals (for insuff relevance or quality)  Improved transposition and application of EU law

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Consultation  Extensive consultation guarantees stakeholders’ views are systematically taken into account: 2005 Impact assessment guidelines recommend consultation & compliance 2005 Impact assessment guidelines recommend consultation & compliance with 2002 General Principles and Minimum Standards for consultation of interested parties  Canvassing of civil society via Economic and social committee

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Consultation within the Action Programme  High Level Group of independent stakeholders (15 members, chaired by senior political figure E. Stoiber)  On line questionnaire: burdens-reduction burdens-reduction burdens-reduction  Country events and workshops

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Other key Better Regulation actors  European Parliament & Council: signed Inter-Institutional Agreement on Better Lawmaking in 2003 but more can be done: more systematic IA of major amendments to Commission proposals more systematic IA of major amendments to Commission proposals Higher priority to pending simplification proposals, codification and repeal of obsolete legislation Higher priority to pending simplification proposals, codification and repeal of obsolete legislation Need for accelerated working methods for simplification measures Need for accelerated working methods for simplification measures

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ Other key Better Regulation actors  Member States: develop national admin burdens reduction programmes, develop national admin burdens reduction programmes, improve EC law transposition, improve EC law transposition, participate in HLG on BR participate in HLG on BR develop & enforce consultation mechanisms where missing develop & enforce consultation mechanisms where missing  Stakeholders: let the Commission know about your needs via consultation

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ What is needed to successfully implement Better Regulation :  sustained political support and central unit  continuous process of improvement (not a one- shot policy) aimed at both the flow of new regulations and the stock of existing ones  series of specific targets => tangible results in a discernable time period  Sustained stakeholder involvement

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ The three cultural challenges  Move from a process to a product (or client) oriented approach  Move from a predominantly legal to a more comprehensive (economic, social) view of the effect of norms on society  Develop new suitable technical tools and practice

EU conference on administrative burdens Malta, 1/2/ For more information Please consult our Better Regulation website: reduction/admin_burdens_en.htm reduction/admin_burdens_en.htm Or contact us: European Commission Enterprise & Industry DG, unit B.5 B-1049 Brussels Belgium Fax: