A Simpler, Clearer and Better Enforced EU Rulebook

With the new Communication, we are streamlining procedures and strengthening the evidence-base of our proposals. This will help unlock the full potential of our economy and society, while ensuring strong enforcement and legal certainty across the Union.

By ensuring the strict application of proportionality, the EU can meet its policy objectives, boost competitiveness, reinforce legal certainty, and deliver faster and more effective responses to pressing needs.

We are also introducing measures for better implementation and faster enforcement of EU legislation across all policy areas. An important strategic focus will be placed on enforcing the single market rulebook.

Here is what we propose:

• Simplicity by design – EU laws must be easy to understand, apply, and enforce. We aim to embed "simplicity by design" into every proposal, ensuring regulatory discipline and clarity on who must act, how to comply, and the consequences of non-compliance. New proposals will be easier to implement, easier to understand and follow, and supported by more robust monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.
• Strengthening the better regulation framework – The EU’s better regulation system – an international benchmark for its high quality - will be further improved. A wider range of legislative initiatives will be accompanied by proportionate and focused impact assessments, including in cases of urgency, and consultation tools will be optimised and become more flexible. We will continue work with the co-legislators to develop and implement a common methodology so that each institution assesses its substantial amendments.
• Regulatory deep cleaning – With the Regulatory Deep Cleaning Action Plan, the Commission aims to tackle inconsistencies, outdated, overlapping or redundant provisions, or overly complex rules that hinder competitiveness and innovation.  We will focus on priority areas such as free movement of goods and services, financial services, customs, taxation, health and food safety, agriculture, transport, energy, climate, environment, digital, housing and permitting
• Reducing ‘gold-plating’ – We will support Member States in their commitment to avoid adding unnecessary additional rules that create complexity and disrupt the single market.
• Faster, robust enforcement – We will accelerate enforcement across all policy areas and intensify enforcement of the single market rulebook.