Interview: 'Cutting red tape will take some time'[fr][de] 

Leitl said that he welcomes Verheugen’s screening of provisions and regulations, adding, however, that "talk should not only be about 'better regulation' but also about 'less regulation'". He called the commissioner's objective to reduce the administrative burden for SMEs by 25% "a fascinating figure".

Leitl urged the Commission to "set the course" for carving in on the regulatory thicket before its term ends in 2009: "It is going to take some time until the impact can be realised in full."

On the idea put forward by German chancellor Angela Merkel to take dossiers which have not been concluded out of the legislative process at the end of each Parliament and Commisison term, Leitl said: "That sounds like a double-edged idea. In many cases, business needs legislation - just think of better regulation legislation. If we have to start all of this over again in 2009, it will be counterproductive."

Read the full interview with Christoph Leitl here.