Commission denies power grab claims over ‘Better Regulation’

Paul de Clerck, campaign coordinator at Friends of the Earth Europe, said: “These reforms are more about battering regulation than bettering it. The European Commission’s so-called ‘Better Regulation’ proposal is about introducing more and more barriers to prevent new environmental, labour and health and safety standards that protect citizens. The new initiatives proposed also risk weakening existing standards on food, chemicals and biodiversity.”

“The Commission is trying to grab power from democratically elected parliamentarians and give it to business-friendly experts. We have seen from experience that so-called independent advisors only look at costs for business and ignore benefits for society. Truly better regulation must protect everyday citizens, workers and our environment more, not less.”

BusinessEurope director general Markus J. Beyrer said, “Better regulation is essential to improve competitiveness, growth and employment. All EU institutions must work together to put better regulation at the centre of the political agenda. We welcome many of the initiatives set out in the new strategy, including better impact assessments throughout the legislative process, and more independent quality advice to improve EU laws.”

Jeremy Wates, secretary general of the European Environmental Bureau, said: “This proposal is a bad deal for the European Parliament, European citizens and European democracy in general. In return for a vague promise of ‘taking into account suggestions to its work programme,’ the Commission wants the Parliament and national governments to sign up to President Juncker’s flawed political priorities and limit the their flexibility to amend Commission proposals through a top-heavy impact assessment procedure.”

“Juncker’s Political Guidelines do nothing to address environmental issues except climate change, and this deal would tie the Parliament and other EU institutions into them [...] "if the European Parliament and Council were to agree to top heavy impact assessment procedures reliant for approval on a new technocratic body with neither democratic accountability nor legitimacy, this would be a very bad day for democracy in Europe.”

Patrick Liébus, president of the European Builders' Confederation said, “Cutting red tape is essential to small businesses. Given their size, they have very few resources to cope with excessive burdens. Nevertheless, EBC strongly believes that simplification just cannot come at the expense of health and safety of workers and environmental concerns”.

ALDE president Guy Verhofstadt supports the Commission`s agenda. He said, "Better regulation often means doing things on a European level. Better to have one clear European rule replacing 28 different ones which often create bureaucratic hurdles for our businesses, citizens and researchers. Better one in and 28 out."

Tony Long, director of WWF European Policy Office, said: ““The ten Commission priorities announced last year underpinning this reform fail to live up to the enormous complexity of the environmental challenges now bearing down on the world and to put Europe on a path to clean technology-led, global competitiveness.

“The current scrutiny of the Birds and Habitats Directives under the Regulatory Fitness agenda (REFIT) will be an important litmus test of whether the European Commission is embarking on a better regulation agenda or rather a de-regulation drive in disguise. Just in the last week, over 100 environmental organisations have joined forces in Europe to stand their ground against any rolling-back of landmark nature protection laws in Europe.”

The European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) director general Hubert Mandery said, “Creating a stable and predictable regulatory environment is key to stimulating investment, job creation and growth in Europe. Our industry is already involved in several initiatives of the European Commission to help make this work for our sector. We stand ready to cooperate further with the EU institutions in progressing the better regulation agenda.”

“Ensuring that EU legislation is well-designed, evidence-based and fit for purpose will ensure that policy measures can achieve their objectives without imposing disproportionate costs and burdens on businesses,” said Arnaldo Abruzzini, secretary general of EUROCHAMBRES, the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

“Our experience in the past – notably in relation to the SME Test – has shown a frequent gap between the Commission’s ambition and its delivery,” warned Mr Abruzzini. “We expect First Vice-President Frans Timmermans to ensure that this time the terms of the contract are met.”

Ariel Brunner, head of policy at BirdLife Europe, said, "Today’s 'better regulation' proposals are a clear attempt to force through an aggressive deregulation agenda, with environmental legislation in the cross hair. At the same time 100.000 citizens in just one week have already participated in the Consultation on the future of the EU Nature Directives, on www.naturealert.eu, opposing any deregulation of ?nature protection. European citizens are sending a broader message; they want good, strong environmental legislation. The EU better start listening, if it is to retain citizens’ confidence".

Bernadette Ségol, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) said, "I am in favour of efforts to improve legislation, but these proposals will make the legislative procedure longer, costlier and more bureaucratic.

“I am very sceptical about giving so-called experts a much bigger role in EU legislation. Impact assessments are not simply technical, but make political recommendations based on limited criteria, such as for example cost without considering social benefit.”

Gabi Zimmer, chair of the GUE/NGL in the European Parliament said, "The Commission has let the cat out of the bag. In future, Commission officials and accountants will take political decisions, not the EU's democratically-elected representatives. The Commission wants to determine on its own whether or not democratic regulations are effective for the internal market. It will even go so far as to let the Maternity Leave Directive, decided by the European Parliament, to be taken off the table completely."

Valeria Ronzitti, CEEP (European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public Services) general secretary said, "It is clear that 'Better regulation' cannot be achieved by the European Commission alone and has to receive a strong commitment from the co-legislators. The Communication on Better Regulation would only have a symbolic effect without the adoption of a new inter-institutional agreement.

“What is good on paper needs now to be implemented in practice, and CEEP will give a "vigilant support" to the package. We need to make sure it will translate in a more inclusive approach to EU policy making, notably by the involvement of EU social partners in the REFIT platform.”

Adrian Joyce, secretary general of EuroACE, said, "[Better Regulation] is an opportunity to create an ambitious and effective legislative frameork with which the energy efficiency in buildings sector can flourish."

Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, pledged to refocus the EU executive on the bigger political issues of the day and cut regulations seen as unnecessary or hampering business activity.

Juncker appointed his First Vice-President Frans Timmermans to a new role, watching over the subsidiarity principle, whereby the EU should only intervene where it can act more effectively than national or local governments.

The Council of the EU and European Parliament make amendments to draft law. The better regulation strategy calls for substantive amendment to be scrutinised by experts.

• End of June: Recruitment for the external members of the Regulatory Scrutiny Board and the REFIT Platform.
• End of 2015 : Deal on inter-institutional agreement

European Commission

• Press release: Better Regulation Agenda: Enhancing transparency and scrutiny for better EU law-making
• Memo: Better Regulation Agenda: Questions & Answers