Presidency Priorities of the Czech Republic in Better Regulation Aleš Pecka Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union

Priority topics and orientations General priorities defined in 18-month Presidency Programme: Action programme: delivery of results in reducing administrative burdens for businesses, monitoring of the progress, simplification of administrative procedures by exploitation of e-government tools Impact Assessment (incl. consultations): improvement of the quality, strengthening of procedures for external stakeholder consultations Simplification programme: call for clear explanation of the simplification consequences of the proposals in the impact assessments Access to law: better access to legislative texts

Priorities under CZ PRES Action Programme for reducing AB Impact Assessment Reflections on the outputs of the Better Regulation Strategy in the EU, possible recommendations for the next Commission

Action Programme for reducing AB Adoption of necessary steps and measures to remove unnecessary administrative burdens for businesses based on results presented by the Commission Approval of monitoring principles of the AB reduction process (poss.: Sectoral targets, annual reporting to the Spring European Council, net target approach etc.)

Impact Assessment Focus on the outputs of the Review of the Common Approach to Impact Assessment (ongoing process) Identification of feasible and practical solutions for the Council‘s commitments to carry out impact assessment to substantial amendments Training of WPs chairs in the use of impact assessments

Simplification Programme Delivery of outputs in the Programme through the period 2005-2009 Reflection on possible identification of new areas of simplification (2010-2012) for the forthcoming Commission: results of the completed screening the EU acquis

Presidency plans Competitiveness Council (March 5-6, 2009) Presidency Progress Report on Better Regulation Poss. topics – stock-taking in: Use of the Impact Assessment in the EU legislative process; review of administrative burdens measurement results and efforts in reducing administrative burdens;state of play in the adoption of pending simplification proposals Spring European Council (March 19-20, 2009) AB reduction as the „key issue“ for Better Regulation in the Key Issue Paper 2009

Presidency plans Informal Competitiveness Council (May 28- 29, 2009) Afternoon session (under consideration): Reducing administrative burdens, incl. exchange of best practices and early-warning mechanisms Competitiveness Council (May 28-29, 2009) Council conclusions on better regulation Poss. topics: Reflections on the outputs of the review of the Inter-Institutional Common Approach to Impact Assessment Administrative Burdens– concrete reduction proposals in the respective priority areas Recommendations to the continuation of the agenda under the new Commission

Thank you for your attention ! Aleš Pecka e-mail: ales_pecka@mzv.cz Phone: +32 (0)2 2139 312