The number of directives adopted in 2020 and 2021 is less than 50, while the number of regulations adopted in those 2 years exceeds 1,000, the European Commission notes in a report on the application of EU law, published on Thursday 13 October.
Considering the implementation of EU regulations “equally important” as that of directives, for which there is a long-established monitoring mechanism, the Commission indicates that it will increase its efforts to ensure compliance with regulations “in a more systematic and strategic manner”, not least because regulations, despite their direct effect, sometimes also require changes to national law and/or confer competences on national agencies and regulators.
In 2023, the EU institution will report on possible measures to increase transparency on the monitoring of the application of EU law, in particular in the pre-litigation phase in the framework of the ‘EU Pilot’ initiative. This tool makes it possible to resolve many disputes without the formal opening of infringement proceedings.
It should be noted that, according to the Commission, 90% of the 800 or so infringement proceedings opened each year are closed before the case is referred to the EU Court of Justice, mainly at the letter of formal notice stage.
See the Commission communication: https://aeur.eu/f/3ll (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)