Goldplating high on the agenda in IRRC Berlin 31 Jan

As previously reported, The Swedish Better Regulation Council (Regelrådet) and The Board of Swedish Industry and Commerce for Better Regulation (NNR) have published a joint report with recommendations for how to improve implementation of EU legislation: 'Clarifying Gold-Plating – Better Implementation of EU Legislation'. The joint report has not only broken new ground by the coming together of two organisations of different starting points, expertise and approaches it has also been very well received by the Government Offices of Sweden. The government has expressed its appreciation in a letter to the organisations along with feedback on the report, stating that the report and its recommendations will serve as an excellent starting point to the undertaking of evolving better regulation, especially when negotiating and implementing EU legislation. Furthermore the recommendations will be utilised in the Swedish Government´s work to improve support on impact assessments to regulators. The Swedish Government is considering the suggestions made. However, in order to achieve change, the question of over- implementation of EU-legislation, so- called gold-plating, needs to be lifted to an EU- Institutional level, as well as being prioritised by all member states in a joint effort. There are essential tools available, which can be used on both national and EU level, for identifying the impact of EU-legislation on business and avoiding unnecessary burden on business. These are, for example, impact assessments and consultation with stakeholders. By using these tools and forming joint strategies for mitigating negative effects of gold-plating on business, a fractured single market can be avoided. In order to achieve results the topic needs to be discussed further. Join Regelrådet and NNR, as well as, representatives from the EU Commission and other experts in a workshop on "Clarifying Gold-Plating: Mitigating Barriers To Trade in the European Single Market", Friday 1st February 2013 at the IRRC conference in Berlin (announcement from Regelradet.)