Responsibility for implementing the 'Better Regulation' initiative currently rests with the enterprise commissioner, but Barroso said he wanted to raise the profile of cutting the administrative burden for businesses.
"I have decided that in the new Commission the better regulation services, notably those in charge of reducing administrative burdens, will act under my direct authority, together with impact assessment and ex-post evaluation. And I will make sure that all our new initiatives are inspired by these principles of smart regulation," he said.
The news comes as the High Level Group (HLG) on Administrative Burdens presents its second report to the Commission, detailing regulations which should be cut in areas such as public procurement, company accounts and financial services.
Proposals which could save businesses €40 billion per year have already been tabled by the EU executive and a further €30 billion could be freed up by additional reforms, according to Barroso.
He urged the European Parliament and EU member states to quickly adopt all such proposals in order to help boost ailing companies, especially SMEs, which waste money trying to keep up with regulatory requirements.
"I expect them to show the same commitment as the Commission is showing," he said.
The report by the HLG says reducing and preventing new administrative burdens is "a permanent task" and the European institutions should look at the organisational setup to ensure the issue does not lose momentum after the HLG's mandate expires.
The group will continue its work for another two years and Edmund Stoiber has agreed to stay on as chairperson for that period.
