Setting law-making priorities
Every autumn, the Commission sets its policy priorities for the upcoming year in the Commission work programme. On this basis it agrees with the Council and the European Parliament on top legislative priorities that are included in an annual joint declaration.
Joint declaration on the EU's legislative priorities for 2018-2019
Joint declaration on the EU's legislative priorities for 2017
Interinstitutional agreement on better law-making
Planning and proposing law
As part of the better regulation agenda, individuals, businesses and stakeholder groups can track Commission initiatives at all stages of the process.
Recently published roadmaps and impact assessments describing new initiatives or evaluations
Database of impact assessment reports and opinions of the Regulatory Scrutiny Board
Database of European Commission expert groups
Adopting the law
Interested parties can follow the progress on Commission initiatives through both the EU and national legislative processes. This starts from their initial launch through to negotiations in the European Parliament and Council and finishes with their final adoption and incorporation into national law.
Non-essential amendments to EU initiatives that don't need to go through the full law-making process, called delegated and implementing acts, can also be tracked through the various stages of their development.
European Commission proposals for new laws and their impact assessments
Track the life cycle of a proposed new law
Database of national parliament opinions and European Commission replies
Interinstitutional register of delegated acts
Comitology register for implementing acts
Applying EU law
It is also possible to find what measures countries take to incorporate EU legislation into national law and track infringement procedures taken by the European Commission against EU countries.
National implementing measures
Database of infringement decisions
Evaluating and improving existing laws
The European Commission continuously evaluates whether EU laws are meeting the needs of citizens and business at minimum cost. Evaluations, fitness checks, and the REFIT programme make existing EU laws simpler and less burdensome to apply.
To help facilitate this there is also the REFIT Platform, which brings together senior experts from business, social partners, civil society and EU countries to advise the Commission on how to make EU legislation more efficient and effective while reducing burden and supporting policy objectives.
Simplifying EU laws through the REFIT Platform
Planned evaluations and studies - 2015 onwards
Evaluation results in European Commission staff working documents