The Commission has published the first results of the analysis of its legal acquis

In accordance with the expressed desire of the majority of its citizens, 74 percent of whom stated that the European Union regulates too much and interferes where it should not, the European Commission today published the first results of an in-depth analysis of its entire legal acquis (REFIT, Regulatory Fitness and Performance Program).

The results of this introspection, which has lasted for years, were presented to the public, along with concrete proposals, area by area, aimed at simplifying European legislation, reducing the burden on businesses, and enabling implementation. In parallel, the Commission has prepared a system for monitoring the progress of this kind of fast track, which is one of the most ambitious projects of the Commission that forms the backbone of efforts to strengthen competitiveness, promote employment, investment, and ease of doing business.

The work done so far provides an overview of what has been achieved, represents important legal initiatives for the future, lists areas where simplification is needed, proposes areas where existing regulations could be repealed or existing proposals withdrawn, outlines horizontal moves to achieve the purposefulness of European legislation, and brings regular, annual publication of achieved results. 

Over the past ten years, the Union has launched a series of major reforms and initiatives in various spheres, from telecommunications and water management, through the Schengen visa system and consumer rights to patent regulation and services. Since 2005, 660 initiatives for regulatory simplification have been launched, and more than 5,590 legal acts have been repealed, which includes concrete benefits such as simpler requirements for tachographs in road transport, lower fees under the REACH directive, and proposed standardized VAT declarations. All this translates into savings of €32.3 billion annually, with an additional potential of five billion depending on the adoption of the Commission’s proposals in the Council and Parliament. By the end of next year, the Commission claims, 47 assessments, verifications, and other reports will be launched, all aimed at reducing regulatory burden. Furthermore, ten new repeals will be proposed, including regulations on promoting green road transport, the supply of crude oil and petroleum products, classification and packaging of hazardous products, and more. 

Examples (done, awaiting approval from Parliament and Council, planned, expected to be discarded, withdrawn from procedure):
1. One of the most well-known examples of unnecessary and almost ridiculous regulation, the regulations on the shape and size of fruits and vegetables, have been simplified and repealed in recent years, allowing, among other things, the return of the ‘curved cucumber’ to the shelves.
2. After approval from Parliament and the Council, the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) will allow companies in the EU to calculate taxable profits. In other words, companies would have to comply with only one EU system for calculating taxable income, while groups would be able to submit a single tax return for their entire activity in the EU.
3. The introduction of a standardized VAT declaration for all member states is planned, which will significantly simplify the procedure for all companies with cross-border operations.
4. The Commission is considering repealing the regulation on Steel Statistics, as data is now collected in different ways.
5. The Commission will withdraw from legislation in the area of occupational safety for hairdressers, which will be addressed differently in the future.