Brussels, 11/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - The co-regulation procedures in the single market require "freedom of manoeuvre for the economic interest groups and civil society organisations, a spirit of partnership with the public authorities, representative protagonists, transparent procedures, effective implementation and stringent control of their impact and follow-up, also involving the public authorities themselves". Such is the conclusion reached by the hearing organised last week in Brussels by the Single Market Observatory of the European Economic and Social Committee (ESC) on "co-regulation in the single market: what role for socio-economic interest groups?" (see EUROPE of 28 April, p.16). During this hearing, the representatives of the socio-economic circles and the European Commission examined the prospects of co-regulation in five areas: standards, social dialogue, environment, consumer protection and the European financial area.
On this occasion, the president of the Observatory, Bruno Vever (Employers Group of the ESC, France) mainly noted that "the co-regulation procedures currently being developed within the European single market still take a wide variety of forms", and that "in some areas (standards, social affairs), they are already well planned, organised and tested at European level. In others (consumer protection, environment and the financial area), they tend to be embryonic, ad hoc and decentralised, albeit with major development potential". He goes on to add in the press release: "these procedures generally have the advantage of simplifying rules, taking the strain off legislative channels and speeding up adjustment to change" and, at the same time, "they foster co-responsibility among economic players and civil society, thereby reinforcing the foundations of the European venture".
The Single Market Observatory will present an evaluation report by end 2001 on the progress made in simplifying regulation in Europe, in which it will set out is appraisal of co-regulation developments in the single market and the outlook for the future. Full text of the hearing: Jakob Andersen (ESC, Brussels). Tel.: 02 546 92 58. E-mail: smo@esc.eu.int.