“Better Regulation” must remain at the heart of EU law-making

Met dank overgenomen van Europese Rekenkamer i, gepubliceerd op donderdag 30 juli 2020.

“Better Regulation” is the set of principles and tools which the Commission uses to develop its policies and prepare its legislative proposals. It has been a key feature of EU policy-making for nearly 20 years and is internationally one of the most advanced systems, according to a new review from the European Court of Auditors. But more could be done to consult citizens and other stakeholders, improve the evidence base for decision-making, and promote, monitor and enforce the implementation and application of EU law.

The EU’s body of legislation is constantly developing as laws are adopted, amended, repealed or expire. The Commission both proposes legislation and plays a key role in monitoring its application and evaluating its results.

The Better Regulation approach aims to ensure that decision-making is open and transparent, that citizens and stakeholders can contribute throughout the policy and law-making process, that EU actions are based on evidence and an understanding of the likely impacts, and that regulatory burdens on businesses, citizens and public administrations are kept to a minimum. The Commission has been applying the Better Regulation principles for nearly 20 years. According to a recent OECD study, the Commission has put in place one of the world’s most advanced Better Regulation systems.

“Better Regulation is about ensuring that EU legislation is sound, evidence-based, timely, transparent and accountable”, says Pietro Russo, the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the review.Through this review, we aim to contribute to the public debate on how to make the EU work better. As the need for evidence-based policy is only growing stronger, Better Regulation must remain at the heart of EU law-making, for the benefit of our citizens and businesses.”

Press Release: “Better Regulation” must remain at the heart of EU law-making, auditors say