Smart Regulation Responding to the needs of SMEs Commission Communication COM(2013) final of

The November 2011 report : 'Minimizing EU regulation for micro-enterprises – Adapting EU regulation to the needs of SMEs' - taking forward the 'Think Small First' principle o Taking forward the 'Think Small First' principle o Improved consultation with SMEs o Strengthened SME Test in Impact Assessment o Exemptions of microenterprises from all new or revised legislation and lighter regimes for SMEs o Annual scoreboard on progress on Commission proposals, adopting through the EU legislative procedure and implementation by Member States

Communication of "Smart Regulation - Responding to the needs of SMEs" o Adoption on 7 th March - report on progress to the Spring Council on 14/15 March o Includes the scoreboard of measures adopted by the Commission containing significant positive treatment of SMEs Includes measures containing options for Member States to take up. o These include measures from which SMEs are either exempted o e.g. : from the obligation to take back electronic equipment o or subject to lighter regimes o e.g : bidders answering public tenders may simply provide self-declarations instead of original documents or certified declarations.

Communication "Smart Regulation - Responding to the needs of SMEs" The Scoreboard Covers a total of 17 measures adopted by the Commission – Three of the initial 12 identified in the November 2011 Report – 0thers which have since been identified – 5 are in the process of being implemented by Member States – 12 are still in the EU legislative procedure pending adoption by the European Parliament and Council Progress of SME policy followed through to implementation in the Member States – expected benefits materialise on the ground for SMEs? – The full range of the regulatory cycle covered

Communication "Smart Regulation - Responding to the needs of SMEs" o Consultation of SMEs is being strengthened through : o reinforced governance mechanisms under the Small Business Act: SME Envoys, Enterprise Europe Network, SME feedback database, the use of SME panels, ENTR regular meetings with SMES o conferences in Member States (DE, NL, SE, UK, PL, IT) o TOP-10 EU-wide consultation with SMEs conducted in autumn o The Commission is already actively working on some of the targeted legislation o The full response from the REFIT mapping and work planning under the December 2012 Communication on 'EU Regulatory Fitness – REFIT'. Results to be published in June this year.

"Smart Regulation - Responding to the needs of SMEs" and ABR + (cont.) o New mandate of the High Level Group on Administrative Burden up to end of this Commission mandate. Focus on : administrative burden reduction at EU level, particularly for SMEs good administration by MS in the implementation of EU law.

"Smart Regulation - Responding to the needs of SMEs" : A rolling programme A rolling programme will be developed : - to establish a continuing review and revision of the EU regulatory acquis - with a leading focus on avoiding unnecessary regulatory burden - finding better ways to make EU regulation operate more efficiently to achieve its objectives.