European Commission plans improved enforcement of EU rules.

On 28 April, the European Commission presented a Communication aimed at making European Union (EU) rules simpler, clearer and easier to enforce. Legislation is also to be based more strongly on robust evidence and better aligned with the needs of citizens and businesses. To this end, the Communication sets out measures in five areas, including the simplification of EU legislation, the strengthening of the Better Regulation framework and the reduction of so-called gold-plating.

Simplification of EU legislation

The first part of the Communication focuses on the principle of “simplicity by design”. Future EU legislation is therefore to be designed from the outset in the simplest, clearest and most coherent way possible. In particular, the aim is to avoid regulatory complexity and fragmentation within the Single Market, which is why harmonising regulations should be used preferentially in this area. In addition, those affected by EU rules should be able to understand more easily which obligations apply to them. In this context, the Commission announces, among other things, improvements to the legislative summaries available on EUR-Lex, clearer wording of the recitals of legislative proposals and more realistic implementation and application deadlines.

Strengthening the Better Regulation framework

Another key focus of the Communication is the further development of the Better Regulation framework. In the future, impact assessments are to focus more strongly on the key economic, social and environmental impacts of a proposal. At the same time, the Commission announces that it intends to rely more systematically on impact assessments and consultations even for urgent legislative initiatives. In addition, consultation procedures are to be simplified and better coordinated in order to avoid duplicate requests in the context of overlapping consultations. The aim is, in principle, to consult the public only once on a given initiative – for example through a call for evidence or a questionnaire, complemented by targeted consultations where necessary. The Commission also intends, wherever possible, to avoid counting major holiday periods within consultation deadlines.

Reducing gold-plating

Another major focus of the Communication is action against gold-plating, meaning additional national requirements introduced when implementing or applying EU law that go beyond EU provisions. According to the Commission, such additional obligations can fragment the Single Market, increase costs for businesses and undermine competitiveness. The Commission therefore announces that it will work together with the Member States to develop guidelines and best practices in order to identify and avoid gold-plating at an early stage. In addition, existing instruments – such as consultations, implementation dialogues, the European Semester and the Single Market Enforcement Taskforce (SMET) – are to be used more systematically in future to identify and remove corresponding barriers within the Single Market.

Review and enforcement of EU law

The final two areas in which the Commission intends to take action concern, first, the review of existing EU legislation and, second, its more consistent enforcement. The Commission intends to systematically review existing legislation for inconsistencies, unnecessary complexity and excessive burdens, and to put forward further simplification proposals. At the same time, the enforcement of EU law is to be accelerated and strengthened – for example through faster infringement procedures and stricter financial sanctions. A particular focus of the measures presented lies on the Single Market. In this context, the measures are also intended to support the objectives of the interinstitutional agreement “One Europe, One Market”, signed in April, which aims to deepen Single Market integration against the backdrop of geopolitical rivalries, technological transformation and economic uncertainty.