| Conference – Better regulation: taking stock to take it forward Monday 29 April 2019 – Brussels Link to conference page |
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Better Regulation Agenda
For over a decade, the Commission has been developing its better regulation system to ensure high-quality legislation. In 2015, the Juncker Commission made better regulation one of its top priorities.
'Better regulation' means making sure legislation:
- is based on solid facts
- is cost-efficient
- benefits from citizens’ input by involving them in the law-making process.
The Better Regulation Agenda brought the following changes:
- Have Your Say now enables citizens to participate in the legislative process at all stages.
- The Regulatory Scrutiny Board, with 3 members from outside the Commission, has replaced the purely internal Impact Assessment Board. The Board ensures that impact assessments and evaluations meet high quality standards.
- Explanatory memoranda setting out the reasoning behind the proposal now accompany each of the Commission’s legislative proposals.
- There is now a platform to gather feedback from civil society on how to improve existing EU laws – the REFIT Platform.
Taking stock
In late 2018/early 2019, the Commission took stock of better regulation since 2015. The aim was to identify what is working well or less well and bring the agenda forward. We have reviewed the literature and sought the views of the public, staff from the other EU institutions as well as Commission staff.
The external and internal consultations have been the centrepiece of this stocktaking. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed, especially the 596 people and organisations who took part in the public consultation.
Public consultation on the stocktaking of the Commission's 'better regulation' approach
Publication of findings
On 15 April 2019, the College of Commissioners adopted a Commission communication describing the Better Regulation Agenda, discussing its strengths and shortcomings, and identifying possible avenues for progress. This communication is accompanied by a staff working document summarising the results of the stocktaking, in particular the extensive consultations in facts and figures.
Link to the communication, staff working document and factsheet
Conference
On 29 April 2019, the Commission organised a full-day conference in Brussels on the stocktaking of the Better Regulation Agenda.
Link to the conference’s webpage
Watch the video with the highlights of the conference.