Brussels, 09/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - European heads of state and government, meeting in the Spring Council in Brussels on 8-9 March, reviewed, as they do every year, the European “Better legislation” initiative. Noting the progress on improving the regulatory environment in 2006, they welcomed the action programme to reduce the administrative burden presented by the Commission in January (see EUROPE 9351). They adopted the Commission-proposed target of a 25% reduction by 2012 in red tape resulting from European legislation. Given the wide variety of starting points and traditions, they called on each member state to set equally ambitious national targets in its areas of competence by 2008.
The European Council felt that assessment of the administrative costs of Community law should begin in the priority areas proposed by the Commission. This would mean, for example, relaxing the requirements on documents to be produced for export refunds for agricultural products or for exempting small businesses (e.g. local butchers' or bakers') from some food safety checks, without compromising safety. The Council and EP would grant particular attention to future Commission proposals on the ten priority areas identified prior to their adoption as soon as possible in 2007. Heads of state and government backed the Commission's intention to create a committee of independent experts to help it and member states implement the action programme to reduce the administrative burden.
The European Council was of the opinion that simplification of the legislation should not result in any weakening of it by undermining the policy objectives of the regulation or the acquis communautaire. In terms of improving the legislation, it felt that the setting up of an impact assessment committee by the Commission would be an important step towards improving the quality of the impact assessment system. The Council and European Parliament would, themselves, make greater use of this kind of system. In Spring 2008, heads of state and government would examine the appropriateness of new measures, including the creation of a group of independent experts to advise the European institutions. (mb)